


Claim Me.

by drtychnbk



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alpha Park Chanyeol, Alpha/Omega, F/M, Game Shows, M/M, Mating Bond, Omega Byun Baekhyun, Omega Verse, high school sweethearts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-21
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2020-12-27 18:08:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 45,809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21123035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/drtychnbk/pseuds/drtychnbk
Summary: Nation’s most beloved omega Idol Baekhyun has yet to be claimed. Four years in the business and still, even with plenty of possible mates, he walks around unmarked.But all of that is about to change as his company has arranged the biggest publicity stunt ever: A competition, keeping omega Baekhyun in a house with 10 unmated alphas for two full weeks.The prize? Getting to claim Byun Baekhyun.





	1. Chapter 1

Every unmated alpha is allowed to submit a form and based on compatibility tests the final ten contestants are called in. One of them ends up being Baekhyun’s high school best friend Chanyeol, who has saved himself all this time bc he knew it was Baekhyun he wanted as a mate.

Activities include: cute dates, fertility testing, naughty games/tasks, public sex Not included: any forced actions, cheating of any kind (Kind of inspired by the show ‘Are You The One?’)

**\---**

**Introducing: The Alphas**

** Kim Jongdae | 29 | aspiring songwriter | the emotional one**

** Jackson Wang | 27 | club owner | the player**

** Kang Seulgi | 25 | wedding planner | the heartbreaker **

** Kim Taeyeon | 30 | Fashion store owner | the romantic one **

** Lucas | 25 | model | the obsessed with himself one **

** Lee Joongi | 34 | psychologist | the too serious one **

** Zhang Yixing | 28 | fitness trainer | the innocent one **

** Kim Jongin | 26 | famous actor | the sex(y) one **

** Oh Sehun | 26 | choreographer | the head over heels one **

** Park Chanyeol | 28 | surgeon | the level headed one **

** And our omega... **

** Byun Baekhyun | 28 | genius idol | the distrustful one **


	2. The Idea.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “So, let me rephrase. They want to take the most important decision in my life away from me and take it into their hands so they can make money off of it?” Baekhyun’s incredulity was audible in his voice, raw emotion lacing the question mark he ended his sentence with.

[Baekhyun's POV]

“No. Way.” 

Baekhyun concluded his manager had to be playing him. He was almost certain that Junmyeon couldn’t possibly be serious about what he had just shared with the omega. This had to be payback for how the idol had ruined his date night the week before, it just _ had _to be. 

“Yes way,” the slightly-older guy replied stubbornly, his sigh sounding tired, as if he didn’t understand why Baekhyun was having a hard time believing it. Like this wouldn’t be a bad thing if it were actually true. 

“So, let me rephrase. They want to take the most important decision in my life away from me and take it into their hands so they can make money off of it?” Baekhyun’s incredulity was audible in his voice, raw emotion lacing the question mark he ended his sentence with. 

The entire idea was bizarre. A show designed to find the omega’s perfect mate, the alpha that would bring him true happiness, and have him be claimed in front of the entire world. Like he was some kind of toy that they could play with. 

“If you want to put it that way,” Junmyeon shrugged indifferently, somehow making it seem like this was a ludicrous thing to be freaking out about whatsoever. But his manager was happily mated, he had found himself a loving, caring Alpha and he had made the decision to bond with Kris all by himself. How would he feel if he had been robbed of that choice?

Baekhyun’s heart ached at the thought of being mated to someone, to no longer be free, and his hands balled into fists as hot, angry tears welled up behind his eyes, “not, absolutely not. This is my life, my decision whether I get claimed or not. They can’t make me, this isn’t in my contract, so no.”

“Okay, look, I hear you,” Junmyeon admitted while he sat himself down in front of Baekhyun, taking in the way everything about the idol screamed refusal and the unwillingness to make up his mind, yet Baekhyun knew he was going to try to do just that. 

“This isn’t in your contract, that much is true,” his manager shrugged, his first argument about to hit. It was a weak one. “But providing sales is a requirement and this will bring your more publicity than ever before.” 

“But at what cost, Myeon? I’ll end up getting claimed by some random assh-” Baekhyun started what was supposed to be a rant of emotions, but he was quickly cut off by a huff and Junmyeon’s foot kicking his shin, softly.

“Come on now,” the older laughed as he spoke, “you don’t really think everything you see on TV is real, right? People can be bought, so there will be at least one person brought in by the company as a scapegoat. There’ll always be a way out if you need it. ” 

This made Baekhyun go quiet, which was a sign he was at least considering it, silent contemplation being the reason Junmyeon continued his story. 

“You can always leave the show pretend-mated, and yes that will have to continue after the show, but at least it won’t be real,” his manager argued, and then his voice turned softer. His voice held this kind of love that Baekhyun could only link to Kris, which was how he knew what Junmyeon was about to say. 

“But imagine it Baek… what if you actually met someone really special? Someone fit to be your mate?” Junmyeon was a romantic, he loved the idea of this show bringing Baekhyun to the love of his life. Like a fairytale. 

Except Baekhyun didn’t want to think about finding love. It wasn’t his wish to find it, either. He felt content being by himself, just him and his work, and the last thing he wanted was for things to change. 

Sure, his heats were awful to deal with on his own, with no one there for him to soothe the frustration and fulfill the urges he had, but that was the one bad part about being an unmated omega. His job made it he was never without attention, and he could demand whatever his heart desired. He didn’t need love. 

Baekhyun didn’t long for more than the things he owned. The stage was his love, his lifestyle one he had chosen for himself. It wasn’t the place and time to start a family, and maybe it would never be. He was okay with that. 

“You _know_ what almost happened to me, Junmyeon. You also know that I don’t want to be mated, so why do you truly think this is a good idea?” He still really didn’t understand why he had to go through with this, even if things were truly as well arranged as his manager had made it sound. 

“Because,” Junmyeon argued, suddenly not as formal and professional, the friend in him coming to the forefront, “I want you to have some fun, Baek. You work so hard, you don’t know life beyond the music. So yes, this will get you publicity, it will boost your popularity even more. People will be entertained and you will be even more desired. But more than that, you will get to pause everything for two full weeks and enjoy living.” 

Baekhyun unclenched his hands as he watched the hopeful look in Junmyeon’s eyes, the genuine concern and care that was visible in them as he begged the omega to reconsider it. To remember that this wasn’t as serious as he had made it to be, that he could trust the company not to ruin his life. That he could trust Junmyeon to take care of him.

And he did. Baekhyun trusted Junmyeon with his life, one hundred percent, but somehow he was nervous about this show thing. Something told him it wouldn’t at all be that easy and fun, and throughout his life his gut feeling had been an important guide to him. 

Although that same gut feeling had failed him that horrible night where he had almost been claimed, teeth close enough to pierce skin, by an unknown alpha that had been obsessed with him in such an unhealthy way that the man had felt he had had the right to claim him.

If only he had felt the strange vibes coming off of the man the moment he had felt his presence near. But Baekhyun hadn’t, he had only smiled and devoted his attention to what he had thought to be a dedicated fan with pure intentions. 

How badly that could have ended had it not been for Junmyeon’s car driving up to the curb, wondering why Baekhyun wasn’t in his own car yet, and finding the idol with his wrists tied, a man sniffing at his neck, kissing his skin. 

The close call had left Baekhyun afraid and wary around unmated alphas, and being in a house full of them was probably what made his gut churn this way. Because a house full of unmated alphas that all wanted to claim him… how could that go well? What if his heat were to hit?

Junmyeon seemed to be reading his exact thoughts, possibly having understood thanks to Baekhyun’s earlier comment, and he hummed, “of course we’d have you on suppressants at all times, and same goes for the alphas. There’d be plenty of security around to take care of any unwanted situations as well. The alphas would have to go through a screening anyway. Only the best will be picked for you, and they’ll have to sign a contract with many, many rules.” 

It almost sounded like a sales pitch, like Junmyeon was trying to sell the concept to him. The worst part about it was that Baekhyun was running out of arguments to use to get out of this entire predicament. Junmyeon sounded convincing enough. 

However, Baekhyun didn’t want to give in to it too easily. He glanced at his manager, holding his gaze for a minute as he muddled it over. He had his own ideas about it all, about what he needed to feel safe in that house, but with the promise of a scapegoat, he had no real arguments against it. 

Taking a deep breath, which he exhaled through his mouth, the omega closed his eyes and said, “I’ll concede.” Junmyeon was about to whoop, but Baekhyun wasn’t done. “However, I will add some of my own rules to the games and some conditions to the contract. If we do this, we do it my way.”

Junmyeon’s smile was blinding as he jumped up and pulled Baekhyun into a hug, “yes! Oh my god, of course.” His laughter held happiness and excitement, which poured over into the younger omega, “trust me, Baek, I know this is going to be good for you. I have a feeling about it!”

Little did he know, Junmyeon would be absolutely, painstakingly right. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will probably be slow with the updating, but I will post here in short chapters so it won't nearly take as much time as it would if I waited until the entire thing was finished so ^^


	3. The news.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How could they resist adding an alpha that the omega had known for the better part of his life, one that was very much in love with him, too?  
The answer was simple: they couldn’t.

[Chanyeol's POV] 

The video was only the start of it all. From there on, it linked to a website with more information about the show as well as a registration form that was an astonishing eleven pages long. 

It was a real thing, not some fake fan project, and Chanyeol felt his heart in his throat as he read through it all, realising the scale of this opportunity. Just after reading through it, the knowledge was already weighing down on him, heavily. 

Because while he read about each requirement and the crown there was to earn, he came to understand that this show would be his final chance to show Baekhyun how he truly felt about him. 

There would be no more excuses fit to buy himself more time. This was it. Because if he failed to make the cut, the love of his life would end up becoming someone else’s mate, and Chanyeol would end up alone forever. 

He hadn’t waited for years on end to let this go to waste so easily. If he truly believed he and Baekhyun were meant to be, then he’d have to try his hardest to enter this competition and win the omega’s heart. Because last chance or not, he still had a shot. 

Even though he had been waiting for - and dreading - the moment Baekhyun would appear on stage with a fresh claim mark on display, for years now, it had never happened. 

He had been afraid of it for so long that he had all but given up on ever getting another chance with the omega. He had figured it had simply not been meant to be. Yet here it was, right in front of him, waiting for him to finally be man enough to take it.

Ever since high school, where he had lost his heart to the dainty omega, Chanyeol had been so sure that Baekhyun would never fall for him, that instead the older was going to find the perfect alpha in college and end up growing old and happy with someone other than Chanyeol. 

Except he hadn’t. He had stayed single and focused on his academic career, and at the end of their studies Chanyeol had found a job and Baekhyun had found fame, and he grew to be the most successful solo artist of the century. Any hope Chanyeol had still had, disappeared then. 

Because he had expected that as an artist, Baekhyun would surely find the most perfect alpha to claim him. There would be alphas lining up to date him, the very best of the best, and that part was true enough. The love of his life had been swimming in attention from the moment he had first appeared on TV.

And so Chanyeol had expected it to happen that first year, when Baekhyun briefly dated his stylist, and when it didn’t, he had expected it to happen in the second year, surely. But now, almost five years after had they last parted ways, Baekhyun was still without a mate. 

Up until now at least, it appeared, as his company was arranging a way for Baekhyun to find that special someone. 

More than that, they were allowing any unmated alpha to send in their information and possibly get a shot at becoming that lucky person that would get to cherish and love the most-desired omega in the country. 

Chanyeol knew that he had to make the cut, for it was now or never. 

Over the past few years he hadn’t been able to find a way back into Baekhyun’s life again, no matter how much he had actually tried to get to him, but this was like an invitation. Too tempting and a little too good to be true. 

After high school, where they had been absolutely inseparable, they had both gone to the same college. However, because they didn’t major in the same subject, they inevitably lost the tight connection they used to have, even if they still saw each other once a week.

It hadn’t been the same anymore. 

They had still hung out at the same parties, but always with other friends around. They had still talked about music, but never sat and sang together like before. They would simply sit and reminisce about their shared teenage years, and then, they’d go back to the lives they had created without each other. 

It had been in their final year that Baekhyun had first gotten noticed by entertainment companies, and soon after that he was signed to the biggest in the country. He had been swept away from the life he knew, and he and Chanyeol lost touch, fully. 

The newfound fame led to Baekhyun never showing up at any parties anymore, as well as made him change his phone number. Life became suddenly Baekhyun-less, and it was only then, once he was no longer around, that Chanyeol realised how badly he needed Baekhyun in his life. 

Funny how it had taken him half a decade to realise he had been certain about Baekhyun from the very start. He should have known the moment he had his very first wet dream about his best friend at the age of sixteen. Funny, but most of all, incredibly frustrating. 

Back then he had cursed himself for having been so goddamn stupid. For having let ‘the one’ slip away from him. He had given his heart away years before, but had never realised it had been that serious, and so he didn’t notice it was gone until Baekhyun had left and taken it with him.

Now, he got to miss the way he used to catch himself staring at the boy’s lips, at the alluring mole at the corner. He got to miss looking into those bright, sparkling eyes of his. 

Baekhyun had always been a vision to him. He was the kind of person you couldn’t take your eyes off of no matter how hard you tried. His smile could light up a room and his laughter could make Chanyeol’s bones melt. 

Everything Baekhyun had ever done, and everything he still did, the alpha adored it all. To teenage Chanyeol, the omega had already been an idol. He had been on another level all of his life, which had made him untouchable to begin with. 

Chanyeol had never dared think about his feelings on a deeper level. Not even in college, where parties with too much alcohol had led to moments where the lines between friendship and whatever more had been blurred. 

Where the smaller boy had crawled into Chanyeol’s lap countless of times, those perfect angel lips finding the alpha’s as their hips took part in a dance of their own, delicious friction leaving them breathless. 

But it had been all playful. Nothing but playful, he had thought...

Neither of them would mention it the day after, and nothing had ever changed, and so Chanyeol had expected to grow out of that affection once they’d spend less time together. 

He had expected to find someone he could truly fall in love with. Someone serious and who would be a perfect fit to him, someone who wasn’t better than him in every way. Someone who could love him in return. 

Yet it wasn’t until he lost touch with Baekhyun that he had gotten the wake up call he had so needed: it had been Baekhyun all along. It had been his best friend, and it would always be his best friend, because it had been years since that moment and still the empty spot in his heart ached for his return. 

Sometimes, when he felt especially lonely, watching videos of the idol would bring back that feeling he used to have with Baekhyun around. He’d feel the love he knew he held for the older, but it was nothing but torture to desire something he couldn’t have.

But even though he he knew getting to Baekhyun after he had found fame would be damn near impossible, Chanyeol had still saved himself. Baekhyun was the reason he had no mate yet, and a part of him secretly hoped that their shared memories were why the omega was alone, too, even if that was definitely a reach. 

Maybe, just maybe, he missed Chanyeol just as much as Chanyeol missed him. Maybe he hadn’t been insane to believe in them as a couple. But no matter how crazy that idea sounded, it kept him sane in times where things were rough. 

During ruts, where his fever dreams would only show him the most lewd scenarios with Baekhyun in the starring role, or whenever a new rumour of Baekhyun’s dating life would start circulating, even if they were all denied soon after. 

And now...

To see this video, to get this chance, it was more than what Chanyeol could have dreamt of. And although luck hadn’t been on his side for most of his life, he still kept hoping that things could change, that they _would _ change, if he just kept trying. 

Right now, he held onto the hope that the people selecting these ten alphas would actually read the eleven pages of answers he was about to send in, because if they would, they’d find that he was the perfect fit for Baekhyun. They’d _have _ to select him, and he would finally get to confess to Baekhyun the way he had wanted to do for years. 

To assure he’d stand out in the selection process, he added a picture of a younger Baekhyun and Chanyeol from back in high school, showing that he had in fact known the omega back in the day. And knowing the entertainment industry, it would be too good of a thing to pass up on.

How could they resist adding an alpha that the omega had known for the better part of his life, one that was very much in love with him, too? 

The answer was simple: they couldn’t.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this will probably be slow when it comes to updates. It is now my main focus, but I still have work 40+ hours a week so I am not always in a writing mood xo


	4. The Acceptance letter.

[Chanyeol's POV]

The letter was real. One hundred percent real. 

Chanyeol had called the number on the contract to check if he hadn’t been pranked, the news had been that unbelievable. But it was real, absolutely real. He had actually been picked to go on the show. 

From the moment he had first found out, Chanyeol had been ecstatic. He had actually dropped the letter on the couch and had jumped up from his seat, running around his apartment in joy, laughter bouncing off his walls. 

He’d get to see Baekhyun again. His beautiful, enchanting Baekhyun. He’d get to spend two full weeks with him and maybe, if he played his cards right, he could end up winning the grand prize: a claim mark on his neck, to match the one on Baekhyun’s. 

The letter was a valid excuse for some partying, which he made sure to do, but it also required a game plan. A course of action for once he’d get to the house and the game would be on. 

He knew he would need more than full honesty to get what he wanted. He needed to be more meticulous, he had to plot every move, because even the smallest of actions had to be intentional. 

He could not go into this unprepared, he could not be callous. It was a game, yes, but to Chanyeol it was not a game for entertainment. It was a game of life and death, resulting in either a happy ending, or a lonely one. 


	5. The First Nine.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And as Minseok went to announce the arrival of the very first alpha, Baekhyun found himself having a mild panic attack. Because he didn’t know how to do this. The last time he had had real feelings for someone had been in college. The last time he had dated was… years ago.

[Baekhyun's POV]

“Is this absolutely, truly necessary?” Baekhyun asked as someone held his shirt up, sticking small wired tags to his chest that were supposed to keep track of his heartbeat throughout the show. They felt uncomfortable and looked ridiculous, but it was part of the show and there was little he could do about it.

“Yes, we will be monitoring all the small changes in your pulse and the sweat of your fingers too. Your body will respond to these alphas in a way you may not even be able to tell. Just be glad we’re not doing slick tests… there are too many pheromones in the air for clear results,” Junmyeon told him as he scrolled away on his phone, probably checking for updates on the preparations.

Today was the day Baekhyun would get to meet the alphas, all ten of them, and tomorrow his potential mates would all move into the house with him. He really wasn’t ready for this to start, at all.

The only good part was that they were on Jeju island, in the warm summer sun, and the house was big enough to at least hold twenty people which meant it wouldn’t be too crowded. 

Baekhyun had moved in earlier that day, dropping his stuff in the master suite and checking out all the rooms in the house to get a head start and become more comfortable. It would have been too overwhelming to enter it for the first time with the alphas there as well. Too many eyes on him.

His room had a lock, put in on his request as he needed a place to feel safe and hide away in case things were to go wrong. The alphas, however, shared rooms with each other, and none of them locked. 

There were cameras set up everywhere, even in the bathrooms and in the one room that made Baekhyun blush the most: the Boom Boom Room. A room decorated in luxurious reds and purples, with soft, silk sheets on the bed and bottles of lube on the nightstand. A room designed for sex. 

Baekhyun told himself he was not going to ever use the room, refusing to sleep with any of the alphas even if only so he wouldn’t get his reputation of ‘Seoul’s innocent angel’ tainted like that. He’d be there for a mere two weeks, that definitely wasn’t enough time to figure out if someone was worth sleeping with. 

He had shut the door to that cursed room soon after he had opened it, shaking his head to himself as he thought, yet again, of how ridiculous the entire show was. Was this really going to be worth his time? Or would this end up becoming a big flop. 

Baekhyun didn’t know, as he had no clue who he’d be spending the next two weeks with. He had no clue if they would be fun people or whether he would hate them. Would there actually be someone that he could see as his mate among the ten alphas picked out for him? 

Well, he guessed he was about to find out. There was no stopping the process any more, it was way too late to back out now, and so he let the crew put a mic on him and let his make-up artist work on the last few touch ups before he was guided towards the backstage area. 

It was there that he met the MC, a guy by the name of Kim Minseok. He was smaller than Baekhyun, looked a little older too, and the idol realised straight away that he was an omega. Two omegas versus ten alphas, still unfair. 

“Hi,” Minseok greeted him while he shuffled his cards in his hands, sending Baekhyun a calming smile, “are you ready for this? Because I saw them already and there are definitely some cute guys and girls waiting for you.” 

It was supposed to calm Baekhyun down, but instead it made him more nervous. Girl alphas? He hadn’t even thought about it that much, but of course there would be all kinds of alphas applying, including female ones. 

“Thank you,” he told Minseok with a polite nod, “I sure hope you are right. I’d hate to not feel a single thing for them when they introduce themselves.” He was joking, but Minseok took it rather seriously.

He put his cards down on the chair next to him and then turned to Baekhyun with sparkling eyes, “oh, but that’s the fun part, I’m sure that won’t be an issue. They get to leave their first impressions today, which means that yeah - you will see the introduction videos made by the company, but they have also prepared a little act of sorts to pique your interest. There’s bound to be something you like.”

Baekhyun huffed, puffing the air out of his chest, and he crossed his arms as well as he could with all those wires in the way, “I don’t know. I guess I’ll have to wait and see. What if it’s all super cringy? I don’t like people who try too hard, it makes me feel like they’re a fan rather than someone that could love me as a person.”

Minseok looked at him, as if he was trying to see straight through him, and then he smiled, placing a hand on the idol’s shoulder. “I think you should just let it happen, give them a shot. They’ve all signed up with the goal of wooing you, there’s bound to be some overachievers, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be more than that.” 

Baekhyun hummed, muddling over Minseok’s words, but before he could say anything more, the omega received an incoming message through his earpiece. He listened to it, hand pressed to the tiny device to hear better, and then he turned his gaze to Baekhyun and nodded. It was time. 

Minseok went out first while Baekhyun stayed behind, waiting for the crowd to go wild as Minseok introduced him to the over-excited crowd. Title after stupid title was mentioned, making Baekhyun sigh in annoyance. ‘the nation’s idol’ or ‘desirable omega’, they were all names he didn’t care for. 

Yet he put on a smile as he walked out on the stage, waving at the crowd as they took in his appearance with eager, hungry eyes.

He was dressed in a beige turtleneck sweater and ripped jeans, and there was a special choker hidden underneath the fabric of his collar. Just a little precaution, in case one of the alphas hadn’t followed the rules and had refused to take the suppressants. Just to prevent any funny business.

Baekhyun waved at the crowd as long as he could with all the lights on his face, trying to see their faces through the brightness, to read the banners they were holding up for him. This was what he did it for; being close to people, bringing them happiness. But today he wouldn’t be singing, the way he usually would.

“Byun Baekhyun, welcome,” Minseok’s voice was high, excitement contagious, and Baekhyun found himself genuinely smiling as he took the seat next to the MC. 

“Ah, thank you Minseok hyung, it’s a pleasure to have you here with me. I’m glad I won’t be the only omega to witness this test of pheromones,” he smiled his cheeky smile, charm almost a natural response to being in the spotlights. 

“That is very true, I’m glad I can be your emotional support through this all. You will definitely need it, as will some of you in the audience, because not all of our alphas are strangers to the public,” he raised his eyebrows as he spoke, staring at the crowd, which became restless as they received this piece of information.

Baekhyun was definitely one of them. A famous alpha? A famous, _ /unmated/ _alpha? He knew nothing about the chosen alphas, had not been involved in the picking process, but somehow he hadn’t expected to hear there was a potential famous match.

The matchmakers had made him talk about his life and what it was he looked for in a partner, and that had been it. Having all the information they needed, a group of experts had gone ahead and picked the best possible matches for him.

To hear there were celebrities in this group, at least one, made his heart pick up a little. Who could it be? Was it someone he had worked with, someone who had talked to him before and thought he’d be a perfect mate? Or would it be nothing but publicity, set up with a reason?

“Yes, our lovely omega should prepare himself, because we have quite a few surprises in store. But, before we get around to the introductions, I am asking one of the staff members to come up here and attach our Baekhyunnie to the machines they have set up,” Minseok pointed at the table next to Baekhyun’s chair.

“Now, unfortunately we will not be lucky enough to know the results of these tests, but we wouldn’t want to know them either, right? It would spoil all of the fun! But, for those who don’t understand what I am talking about... Our matchmaker team will be monitoring our lovely bachelor to see how his body responds to the various alphas that will try to court him.” 

This caused excited chatter to rise from the crowd. They were anticipating for this to be interesting and fun. It was as if all of them cared about Baekhyun finding his mate, the perfect mate, way more than he did himself. 

“Alright!” Minseok said while a member of staff placed a clip on Baekhyun index finger. It hurt a bit, sitting on his finger tightly, but he allowed it all. Each and every wire. At least it would prevent him from having to get physical with these alphas, “from now on every change in our Baekhyunnie’s pulse, blood pressure and perspiration will be recorded with these sensors.” 

As if on cue, Baekhyun realised just how monitorised he would be throughout these introductions, and in response he felt his pulse pick up. It suddenly made everything feel a lot more real, unlike before, where he hadn’t felt the impact it was having on him right now.

Soon he would no longer be an available omega, he would be a claimed omega. Either with a real claim mark, or a fake one, but either way these were his final moments as the clean, untouched man he was. 

And as Minseok went to announce the arrival of the very first alpha, Baekhyun found himself having a mild panic attack. Because he didn’t know how to do this. The last time he had had real feelings for someone had been in college. The last time he had dated was… years ago. 

Baekhyun was good at the physical aspect; at lust and sex and pleasure in any way, shape or form. He knew how to be charming, to flirt in order to get what he wanted, but he didn’t know how to connect with someone emotionally. The last person that had tried to do so with him had been-

“Time to meet the very first alpha! The man with the devilish smile and the voice of an angel, hoping to match that of our lovely Byun Baekhyun... Kim Jongdae,” Minseok truly did his job well, the crowd went wild over his words, but Baekhyun couldn’t think properly.

His mind went blank, any proper thoughts having left his head, and instead of trying to force it to work he watched the video on the screen, where the picture of a handsome young man appeared. Jongdae was smiling, his eyes squeezing shut with how wide his grin was, and as the video played, information about him popped up on the screen. 

He was 29 years old, a singer-songwriter hoping to break through, and in his spare time he hit the gym a lot. A guy fit to Baekhyun’s lifestyle, even though he had yet to get his breakthrough. It had to be why he had been picked. 

It didn’t surprise the omega when he spotted Jongdae coming out on stage, not too far away from him and Minseok but also not close enough to properly interact with him, holding a microphone in his hand. 

He was going to sing a song in an attempt to leave his lasting first impression, and it was the least surprising part about the entire performance. Baekhyun’s pout at the lack of creativity disappeared the moment Jongdae opened his mouth and started singing. 

The guy was good, really good, Baekhyun had to give him that. Rather than it boring him, it got him kind of excited to sit and talk music with Jongdae in order to see in which way they shared their passion, but also to see if there were more mutual interests or if music was where their compatibility ended.

At least it wasn’t as bad of a start at Baekhyun had feared. Maybe this matchmaking thing wasn’t such a bad thing. Maybe Minseok was right about there being surprises along the way. 

The second alpha to be introduced was a guy that was definitely hot, but really not his type. Baekhyun was so busy staring at his sharp jawline and gorgeous eyes that he missed whatever else the intro held. The only thing he knew by the end was that Jackson was Chinese, and that was because he could hear so. 

Jackson tried to impress Baekhyun by playing a short DJ set where he played with a mix he had made of one of the omega’s biggest hits. It wasn’t as creative as he had hoped for, and it felt a little bit like this was more of an admiration thing than actual attraction to him as a person. 

After Jackson came two gorgeous female alphas, Seulgi and Taeyeon. Seulgi was a wedding planner that looked cute and soft during the day as she did her work, but like a bad bitch at night as she participated in underground dance battles, which was also her performance. 

Taeyeon came out in a gorgeous little dress with a feathery bust and thigh high boots, and she too sang a song. As he listened to her angelic voice, Baekhyun could only wonder how the hell it was possible she wasn’t out there conquering the world yet. Why she wasn’t being put on the same kind of show as him because she was stunning and still single.

After the girls, the oldest alpha of the bunch was introduced. The handsome man, whose smile instantly made Baekhyun feel comfortable, was six years older than him and a psychologist. For some reason that made the omega feel just a little less comfortable. 

The alpha came out to show a scrapbook he had made, explaining how it held his life’s course, and he mentioned the future of his career path as well as his family life. Eight pups, that’s what he wanted, and Baekhyun felt himself panic as he thought ‘too much, too soon!’

Lucas, the sixth alpha, had the most beautiful puppy eyes Baekhyun had ever seen on anyone, and if he had been told this guy was an omega he would have believed it too. Lucas was a model, and the promo video showed both his soft side as well as his sexy side, and well… so far, this was the guy Baekhyun felt most physically attracted to.

There was a certain softness to his eyes that made Baekhyun feel like he would be a good mate, that he would care for them, and his first impression showed that too. Lucas had decided to be a bit of a show off by inviting Minseok over to his chair, after which he gave the MC a gentle massage that may or may not have driven Baekhyun’s mind to dangerous territories. 

Yet while he spoke, Lucas mostly talked about himself, occasionally even using the third person, and Baekhyun wondered who he’d love more; his mate or himself. 

His gut flipped again with alpha number 7, a hot piece of ass with the name Yixing, who was a personal trainer and had the cutest little laugh possible. His lasting impression came in the form of a workout that the audience could participate in. 

From the way he was standing, or more like squatting, Baekhyun could get a good look at his strong ass, thick thighs and exactly how hung he was. Bless sweatpants, honestly. 

Yixing was the kind of guy Baekhyun would want in his bed during those lonely nights and during heats when he just needed someone. Someone discreet that would sign a contract just to satisfy the omega without anyone knowing. But love? Maybe Yixing would be the first guy to be more than just physical attraction in that sense.

Baekhyun found himself smiling as the alpha winked at him playfully before he left the stage, the crowd out of breath and high on adrenaline after the little work out they had been put through. Cute.

The eighth alpha stood out the most in appearance. With his red hair he matched Baekhyun’s extravagant side, and as his introduction video ended, on walked a tall and poised looking man, dressed in tight fitted jeans and a bomberjack. 

The lack of shirt had the audience swooning, loud whistling welcoming the choreographer onto the stage, and unsurprisingly his choice of activity to impress Baekhyun was a dance. One in which he showed off his taut muscles, his skills as a performer, and the omega had to admit he was impressed.

There was just something about dancers, about the way they moved their bodies, that made Baekhyun interested in them in nothing but a heartbeat. He’d been with a dancer for a good two months, their relationship merely a sexual one, and it had shown him exactly how rewarding it could be for a partner to be good at rolling their hips.

Sehun was all straight lines and sharp movements, and his face held a passion even though it appeared blank and emotionless. Baekhyun could tell from the performance how dedicated and hard-working Sehun was, and those were qualities he admired. 

He barely smiled when he walked off again, but his eyes found the omega without any trouble, and even from far away Baekhyun could feel the intensity of his stare, all the way to the tips of his ears. 

They had sure picked some interesting alphas, it was hard to deny that these first impressions were in fact catching his eye. Sure, some were a bit predictable, but it was a show. He wouldn’t get to crossing people off his list until he got to know them better. 

Because put ten attractive alphas in a house and the physical aspect completely disappears. If everyone looked good enough to be a mate, then it all came down to their personality traits, their dreams and, ultimately, their flirting skills. 

It kind of made him feel more at ease to know that everyone so far had felt like a possible good fit. Maybe one more than the other, but this truly wasn’t a random selection of people. They had all been chosen for him specifically and it showed. 

With only two more alphas left to go, Baekhyun began feeling nervous. Minseok had warned there’s be at least one surprise in store - a well-known alpha - and Baekhyun suspected that alpha would be last. Of course the director would want to end with the most shocking one, to get the best reaction to end with, and so the omega fidgeted in his seat. 

“Now, eight out of ten down, Baekhyun how are you feeling?” Minseok asked him, turning his bright, sparkling eyes to him as if he knew something the other didn’t, and although it creeped him out a bit, Baekhyun focused on doing his job. 

“Good. Yeah, I’ve started to relax more and I have to say that so far, I am definitely not disappointed. Everyone is so good looking, though, it’s almost making me think that it won’t matter who I end up with,” he laughed and looked at the audience just so he wouldn’t have to feel strange under Minseok’s gaze anymore.

“That’s very good to hear. I’m glad you’re enjoying the little shows your alphas have prepared for you. Now, for the final two though, I have to admit, these are my personal favourites. Both tall, both handsome, but entirely different in their characters and also… their jobs.” 

Minseok’s voice dropped, becoming more serious as he spoke, which was how Baekhyun knew he was about to say something that was meant to pique everyone’s interest. The older was ready to drop the bomb on them all, and the omega felt nervous instantly.

“Our ninth alpha is an actor,” Minseok spoke slowly, making sure everyone was quiet and hanging onto his every word, “and he has received award after award over the past three years, but today he promises to show us a new side of him that we haven’t seen before. Please welcome our lovely... Kim Jongin!”

On the screen, the video started playing, but the sound could hardly be heard over the deafening screams of the audience as they welcomed another celebrity to the stage. Kim Jongin, rising star on the silver screen, with his warm smile and teddy bear appearance, walked out on the stage looking anything but his usual soft self.

He was shirtless, white jeans riding low on his hips, and he was wearing a white cap to match. With him he dragged a chair, the seat tipped back so only the legs would scrape across the floor, and when he had put it down he walked up to Baekhyun.

His grin was dark and hot, so unlike the man he had seen in some of his favourite shows and movies, and although he looked like he would have loved to ask Baekhyun to be the one to help him during his little show, he knew he couldn’t. 

Instead, he turned right before he reached the omega, and bent down until he got one hand on the edge of the stage, after which he jumped down right into the audience. He cornered a smaller guy with big bambi eyes and plump lips, and when he offered his hand, the guy took it. He would have been stupid not to. 

He was helped up on stage by Jongin, where he got to sit down in the chair, and as the actor came up to stand behind him, his hands on the backrest, Minseok swooped in with the microphone. 

The guy’s name was Kyungsoo, and Baekhyun could tell he was an unclaimed omega by the way he flushed pink as Jongin’s hands touched him. Fascinated and flustered by his mere presence. 

Sweet baby Jongin had been replaced by an entirely different person, though. Like an alter ego, someone who had to be a twin brother of the Jongin everyone knew. Because the way he crawled on top of the flustered omega, legs wide on either side, wasn’t like the soft boy at all.

It wasn’t exactly alpha type behaviour either, which may have been why Jongin had chosen it in the first place. He wanted to stand out, to find a new way to present himself to not just Baekhyun but to the world. An act for publicity? Maybe.

Usually it would be the lustful omegas that would give longing alphas a lapdance, teasing them with a swift look at or touch of their lonely pussies, but now it was Jongin showing off how confident he felt in his body. Teasing Kyungsoo with the touch of his cock through their outfits. 

Baekhyun wasn’t sure what to think, and maybe the same went for the audience. It was such a shock to all of them to experience this change in character so openly, that no one knew how to act. At least, the omega sure didn’t. 

When the act ended, Jongin guided a tomato-red Kyungsoo back to his seat, and rather than climbing the stairs to get back up, he climbed the edge of the stage, ending up right in front of Baekhyun. 

Before he took his leave, the actor stepped closer to him and back was the charming man Baekhyun had met twice before, the sweet guy that everyone would love to introduce to their mothers. He lifted the omega’s free hand and pressed his lips to the older’s knuckles, leaving a fleeting kiss before he disappeared. 

it took some time for the crowd to go quiet again, the uproar Jongin’s perfomance had caused leaving everyone in shock. Which was exactly why Baekhyun didn’t understand how Jongin hadn’t been the final alpha to be presented. What else could possibly top this?

Minseok had to try multiple times to get everyone’s attention back on the screen, on the idol this had all been set up for, but Baekhyun was grateful for the moment of peace it gave him to think about everything. 

He was surprised to find someone like Jongin in the group of alphas. Before, Baekhyun hadn’t ever felt a spark to tell him Jongin was someone who could be the one for him. Even now he hadn’t really had that. 

But the fact that he was famous changed everything. The omega was reminded of Junmyeon’s words, of the company arranging a scapegoat for him in case the other nine options were a dead end. Could Jongin be that person? 

Exposure in return for this favour? The possibility of them becoming a fake power couple, gaining more publicity together, was one the company had to like. And so Baekhyun was almost one hundred percent sure Jongin had been brought in for another reason than compatibility. 

“And then-” Minseok finally managed to bring down the excitement and start building up to the final alpha, which again made Baekhyun freak out a little. Because if they hadn’t put Jongin last, then who the hell could be bigger than a goddamn celebrity? “Our final alpha.”

Baekhyun swallowed, going as quiet as the crowd, and Minseok took use of the silence to try and drive the omega entirely insane. “This one will absolutely tug at people’s heartstrings. It did at mine, and well, if this alpha ends up becoming our Baekhyunnie’s mate, it would be such a romantic story… One of fate and ‘meant to be’, of determination and true love.” 

What the hell was he going on about? Fate? Meant to be? Had Baekhyun met this alpha before?

“I may have blinked away some tears when I heard this story. The video won’t show you, but I will share it with you,” Minseok looked at his notes, reading out loud the way it had been put down for him, “imagine falling in love with your best friend and never settling because they are the one you want. Well, that’s what happened to our final alpha…” 

The moment Baekhyun head the words ‘best friend’ he felt the hiccup his heart did before it started beating erratically out of control. It was pumping hope through his veins as he saw bursts of memories shooting behind his eyes, clear as day whenever he would blink. Could it really be…? 

Right before the clip started playing, Baekhyun whispered the name, so soft it was barely a breath, “Chanyeol,” and when the man’s face showed up on the screen, Baekhyun’s heartbeat became a straight line.

Game over. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo Chanyeol about to hit the stage. What do you expect will happen? Are you enjoying it so far? It's really quiet here on ao3 fdhjgsfhhjsdj


	6. The Tenth.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This arrow is me, and I’ve already shot myself at you, hoping to find my target. I’ll be meticulous, I’ll show you why I know you are my perfect match, and to prove that, I will now shoot this arrow and hope it will find its target, the way I hope to find mine.

[Watch Chanyeol's intro video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZohA4FVhB1s&t=4s)

[Chanyeol's POV]

Chanyeol got to watch from the wings of the stage, which made him able to spot the moment Baekhyun’s eyes widened in realisation. He saw the way his lips moved on Chanyeol’s name, the way his eyes travelled to the screen to look at the video, and the emotion sparked by seeing him again.

He had expected it to be shocking for Baekhyun, to see he had applied. It had to be even more shocking to realise he had gotten in, but Chanyeol told himself it had nothing to do with actual feelings. Baekhyun wasn’t this surprised because he had hoped to see him there, it was simply because he hadn’t expected it. It told him absolutely nothing about whether he’d even have a shot with his oldest friend, but he was sure going to try.

While the video came to an end, Chanyeol was ordered to walk out on the stage and get in position. When he did, feeling the first burning lights on his face, he could hear the whispers of the audience, their mouths covered behind their hands as they shared their thoughts with each other, but Chanyeol ignored them. 

Instead he locked gazes with Baekhyun, who was looking at him with so many questions in his eyes that it was hard to read any other emotions. 

It was almost like he was looking at a young Baekhyun again, the boy that had been so unsure of himself when he had first presented as an omega, and the begging eyes he had held back then as he had asked Chanyeol to help him understand, were the same ones he was looking at right now. Baekhyun hadn’t changed one bit. 

“Our Chanyeol here, is a surgeon,” Minseok told the audience, filling the soft whispering room with more words, “and he has decided to show both his precision as well as his determination to win over our Baekhyunnie’s heart. He will be shooting an arrow into the smallest possible target on this wall over here.” 

Minseok walked over to point at the target, which was barely bigger than his thumb. Enough space for the arrow, but leaving nothing else. It would be a feat if he managed, his doom if he failed, but Chanyeol knew this would not be the moment he lost his shot. 

He wanted to impress Baekhyun. Really impress him. Not with some old skill he already knew about, like his bowling or his guitar, no something new. Something no one would think of. Something that people would remember because of how unique it had been. 

Unlike the others, he hadn’t thought of a way to come across as sexy, or had picked something to show off his talents. He wanted to be himself, to be the guy Baekhyun remembered best, and so he wore one of his regular outfits. Black skinny jeans and a blue sweatshirt with a bear on the front. 

Around his shoulder he held the quiver with arrows, multiple ones in there even though Chanyeol knew he really only had one shot. It was a weird combination surely, his outfit and the equipment, but the alpha didn’t care about it much. 

His right hand was gloved, his thumb and pinky left out, and the black leather felt tight around his hand as he curled his fingers into a fist. This was his moment of truth, his chance to speak to Baekhyun and show him how stupid he had been to let him walk away all those years ago. 

“Chanyeol, the floor is yours,” Minseok told him before he retreated, darting away from the target that the taller was supposed to hit now, but he would not do so without an explanation as to why he had chosen this. Not without giving away some of the answers Baekhyun was looking for.

He had a microphone, as requested, and as he cleared his throat he heard himself through the speakers. It was on, waiting for him to make use of it. “I realise this must be a total surprise to you, Baek,” he said, finding it weird to be addressing him again after such a long time, but he did it because weird or not, it still felt right. 

The sound of an arrow being retracted from the quiver was picked up by his microphone, and it made the crowd go even more quiet in anticipation. They were curious to see where this would go, what would happen and what Chanyeol would say to the friend he used to know. 

“But it is not a surprise to me,” he went on, finally casting his eyes back on the omega he had held dear in his heart for almost half of his life. “I stand here because I regret how I never told you about my feelings. And I regret how we lost touch. So when I heard about this show, I knew I had to do everything in my power to finally make things right.” 

He took a deep, calming breath before he quickly looked at the target, knowing the task at hand and how important it was. “As I signed up,” he explained, “I realised the weight of this opportunity. I knew you were looking to find your mate and so I knew this was my shot. My only shot.” 

Before he’d start to tremble, he turned away, breaking their eye contact as he faced the target now, lifting the bow up in his arms, but he wasn’t done talking yet. “To show you how determined I am to make this one shot count, I decided to use this arrow as a metaphor.”

“Because this arrow is me, and I’ve already shot myself at you, hoping to find my target. I’ll be meticulous, I’ll show you why I know you are my perfect match, and to prove that, I will now shoot this arrow and hope it will find its target, the way I hope to find mine.” 

No one spoke, it was dead silent, or maybe the ringing in Chanyeol’s ears prevented him from hearing it. 

He was used to cutting open people’s bodies every day to save them and he had touched actual hearts with his bare hands, and yet this made him more nervous. 

He tried to see it the same way as one of his surgeries, though. He tried to find that focus, imagine the target was a heart, one that needed a precise cut, and even though he was far away from it he’d have to aim just right and hold steady the way he knew his hands could. 

The string pulled back, arrow ready to fly, and right before he released it he thought back to those moments where he had felt certain of his love for Baekhyun. Those moments where the omega had smiled bright like the sun, where he had laughed and joked around and stolen the alpha’s heart.

It was now or never. His one shot. His final chance. He _had_ to succeed. 

He released the arrow, it flew through the air, and for a moment there was nothing. No sound, no time, nothing but the arrow shooting across the room in a straight line, a thin rope of hope wrapped around its fletching that connected to his heart. Not hitting the target would be fatal. 

He held his breath, waiting for what seemed like an eternity, and then the sounds coming from the crowd swallowed him whole.


	7. The reunion

[Baekhyun's POV]

Baekhyun barely registered the arrow’s flight, only saw it again when the tip of it had dug deep into the small target on the wall. The entire thing jolted up and down a few more times, from the shaft to the nock, before it completely stopped moving, finalising Chanyeol’s success. 

As the crowd went wild over the accomplishment Baekhyun’s oldest friend had achieved, the omega himself had trouble breathing. He was still processing everything that had happened since the very moment he had first seen Chanyeol’s face on that screen.

The world was swaying, tilting around him as he stood immovable, like everything had been tipped upside down except for him. And a result, the lid on that one very specific box inside his chest which he had screwed shut so tightly, became undone with no warning and out poured five years of sorrow mixed with years of pure happiness. 

Because there he was: the person Baekhyun had needed to give up on to follow his dreams. The one thing about his old life that he missed more than anything, but that he hadn’t let himself think of for years now. There stood the person he had stopped looking up ages ago in fear of finding how he had built up a life without Baekhyun.

He was here, on this very stage, being a part of one of the ten alphas that wanted to become _his_ alpha. It was a surreal feeling to see his best friend there, and it was yet another twist to their friendship that Baekhyun had never expected to happen.

Back in high school the omega had dreamt up a future in which both of them would settle with someone perfect for them. It would be them and their mates, as they would buy a house right next to each other so they could always be close. The perfect future: Chanyeol still by his side, their kids playing together on their shared lawn, growing up together and maybe even falling in love one day. 

They had gone through every important change in life together, even the difficult ones. During Chanyeol’s first rut, which had been before Baekhyun presented as an omega, it had been Baekhyun dropping off new porn videos and fresh towels. It had been him force-feeding a spent little alpha, had been him running a bath and washing the dried cum of his friend’s stomach.

And then, when he got his first heat, it was Chanyeol keeping his space but still guarding his door, and growling at every alpha that stared at Baekhyun a little too long. They had looked out for each other like that for as long as Baekhyun could remember, which was why the switch to college life had been a difficult one. 

Life at college had been so much more than the brick walls of the school, more than the same thousand people every day. Going to college had expanded their worlds, made everything bigger, and through that, distance had been put between them whether they had liked it or not. 

Their bodies had grown, as did their dreams, and time together had become sparse. But still, Baekhyun had noticed the changes in Chanyeol, the way he held himself once he was no longer bullied for his intellect but praised. 

He had grown up to be a fine young man, and Baekhyun had started to notice how their usual hugs had become different too.

Whenever they’d play around, the way they always had, Baekhyun had found himself affected by Chanyeol’s scent. Sometimes he’d end up wet between his legs, his throat clogged up with want, especially towards his heats. 

He remembered the first time he had crawled into Chanyeol’s lap and had just kissed him, no explanation, nothing. He remembered how the alpha hadn’t even asked for it, had only kissed him back like he had been waiting for it to happen. 

Those moments, usually at parties where alcohol and sex were a common thing, Baekhyun had always felt most confused. Because that image of the future he had had as a teenager had been changing over the years.

The older they had got, the more attractive Chanyeol had become. Baekhyun had always known he’d be a good mate to someone one day, but as time passed, the omega had begun to entertain the idea of _him_ being that mate. 

It had been nothing but a ridiculous thought at the time, because neither of them had ever said anything about what had happened those nights where they had been too drunk to care. Not once had they discussed it when the alcohol had been eliminated from their bloodstreams. Never. 

So when Baekhyun had needed to give up on his old life to follow his dream of becoming a singer, he had thought maybe it was a good thing to let go. His feelings had been changing, and it would only have ended in complications had he stayed around Chanyeol. So he had left. 

For a while he had been happy that way, knowing that he wouldn’t have to watch Chanyeol find his perfect omega mate, that he could save himself from all that heartache. When he left his friend behind, he locked away every thought of his childhood dream, of how dear Chanyeol had been to him, and focused on his career. 

But now here he was, in this stupid game show, looking more handsome than ever before and grown into such a strong, accomplished alpha that Baekhyun instantly felt the need to submit to him. 

Chanyeol had come here to tell Baekhyun he had made a mistake, that their tiny spark back in the days could have blown up if the omega hadn’t left him behind. You couldn’t make fire with only one stone, and yet it appeared that he had lit more than a spark in Chanyeol’s chest without him even realising.

He had lit a flame strong enough for the alpha to be here after almost five years, still wanting to fight for him, which to Baekhyun was an insane thing to become aware of all at once. 

Everything was too much. The vision in front of him, the knowledge that Chanyeol was here because he wanted him… Baekhyun wanted to cry. 

He didn’t know what to say, couldn’t find the words, not even when Chanyeol bowed his head to him and sent him one of those smiles that were so familiar and so warm that the omega had to look away and blink the water from his eyes. 

Luckily, Minseok was clever enough to know that Baekhyun needed a moment to recollect himself before he could speak, so as the older tried to reconnect with the crowd, the omega tried to snap himself out of his thoughts. 

But he couldn’t stop his brain from thinking about Chanyeol. He couldn’t help but wonder, excitement stirring in his gut at the thought, whether that spark would still be there. If Minseok was right about this being a story of fate, or if their time apart had made them advance in entirely different directions.

This Chanyeol looked different, he held himself differently, and he had shown Baekhyun a side of himself that he had never seen before. The omega had never seen him hold a bow and arrow before, and although he had managed to impress, Baekhyun had to remember five years were a lot of time.

What if they had wasted their shot all those years ago? What if it was too late to turn back time now? If all that the both of them were holding onto, were memories of the past? 

They were all valid questions, ones that could have made him feel scared and uncertain, but instead they made him feel steadfast. Because at least he got the chance to figure out the answers to them, something he had never expected to get a shot at again in his life. 

They would be spending two weeks together in one house, and it would have to be enough time to assess whether their attraction was a thing of the past, or if Baekhyun had found his mate the way he had dared to dream of all those years ago. 

Maybe he would be a little biased going into this, but he wasn’t going to let old emotions win him over so easily. There were nine other alphas just as compatible, and if Chanyeol was so sure of him, well, then showing him would not have to be a problem, whatsoever.

\---

The moment Baekhyun got backstage, he ripped off the stickers hidden under his shirt. It hurt, pulling on his delicate skin, but the omega wanted nothing more than to have his emotions be his own again. 

“What the fuck was that?” were the first words he blurted to Junmyeon when his manager showed up with the idol’s phone in one hand and a bottle of juice in the other. He didn’t sound angry, just confused and maybe a little agitated, which was exactly how he was feeling, too. 

“What do you mean?” Junmyeon asked, genuinely puzzled by what Baekhyun was talking about, and it made sense because it wasn’t like his manager could read his thoughts. He didn’t know anything about his past with Chanyeol, about how hard it had been for Baekhyun to part ways with him. 

The omega wanted to curse and maybe even cry, because the reality of everything had dawned on him: he would be settling into that house tomorrow. He would be there with all ten alphas he had seen today, including Chanyeol.

While Minseok had wrapped up the showcase following the alpha’s departure, Baekhyun’s emotions had gone through the roof. They had been on a rollercoaster ride of ups and downs and twists and turns, and he hadn’t made up his mind about how he felt yet. 

Because, “why was he added? For that touch of drama people love? You have to find out for me, Myeon. I need to know if it’s just a plot for views or if it’s real.” He ranted, pushing a hand through his hair in thought, and as he put the straw of the drink to his mouth he watched Junmyeon’s gaze move to something behind him.

Baekhyun turned to see what he was looking at, and he immediately felt embarrassment wash over him as he saw the group of alphas pass by them. 

Chanyeol was second, behind Jongin, and as he walked by, he turned his head to Baekhyun and gave him the most intense look. It made a wave of heat rush up to colour his face, and when the omega realised it he quickly averted his gaze, cowardly. 

Silence fell until the alphas were all gone, some having smiled in an attempt to catch Baekhyun’s eye, but the omega was still too much in shock to properly respond to them. His shoulders only relaxed when all of them had disappeared, having left the building. They’d be settling in the house tonight, Baekhyun knew. 

Behind him, Junmyeon chuckled. His voice was sly and knowing, “ah, well, I was going to ask who you meant, but I see.” He patted Baekhyun on the back and told him, “you’re so easy to read. Better get your poker face in order for the house, and for the press you’re about to face.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I've been gone for so long. I forgot to put my updates here too and I've allowed myself a break until the Christmas holiday. Work and personal life are very hectic right now but I miss writing :(((


	8. The Pressconference

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And on the circus went. Questions about the acts, about whether he was nervous about moving into the house with ten strangers. Or, well, nine strangers.

[Baekhyun's POV]

Baekhyun did not hate the press. He just had a genuine dislike for the nosy ones that would make their questions too personal, because all he was allowed to do to reject their bullshit was politely declining to answer, when all he wanted was to curse and call them out for shittalking about him whenever they needed new readers. 

To be sitting in a room with about thirty of them, not all as bad as he had just portrayed them to be, but all demanding his attention nevertheless, was not something he liked. Especially not after the tiring show he had already sat through. He needed some rest, to lie down on a bed and forget his idol life for a little while, but he couldn’t do that. 

Instead he sat in a large hall, rows upon rows of seats in front of him, cameras flashing as they were taking pictures of his dazed face. Thank god there was a system this time around.

They were all allowed to ask him one question and one question only, and he just prayed for their sakes they had thought of ones he wouldn’t brush off. Nothing too personal, nothing that would ruin the build up of the game, but of course his prayers weren’t heard. 

The first person, a young guy he had never seen before, stood up with a microphone in hand. He looked like a little trembling leaf as he asked his question, notebook in hand to write down his answer. An answer he never got. “Baekhyun, who is your favourite alpha of them all?” 

The boy had made the mistake of asking him a question he had to refuse to answer. Even if he wanted to, and even if he could, he would ruin the entire show by stating his favourite right now. It was too deep of a question, which made him feel sad for the young journalist.

Baekhyun laughed a little in reply, although thankfully it didn’t make him sound like an asshole, and he put on his best charming smile as he replied with the answer the boy should have expected, “now, wouldn’t you like to know? I’m not telling you, because I know the headlines will claim I have made my decision already, which is far from true.” 

He watched as the boy’s face fell, realising how he had wasted his question, and Baekhyun felt sorry for him which was why he said, “can’t you rephrase it? Ask for something that’s not as significant as my favourite?”

Like an excited puppy, the guy’s eyes lit up and he turned to his notebook again, going through his other options, after which he came with a much better question, “which of the acts performed today did you like the most? Like, was there one that really surprised you?”

Baekhyun hummed and tapped his fingers against the table as he thought about it. There were actually multiple answers possible for this one. He could say Chanyeol, of course, but something told him these journalists would be asking about him later anyway, and so he picked someone else.

“I have to say it was Kim Jongin who surprised me most,” he told no one in particular, “I’ve met him before and he was always such a polite young man. Today, however, he’s shown me a very different side of himself that none of us knew about.”

One question down, plenty more to go. Baekhyun knew it wasn’t going to be this easy and relaxed for much longer. 

“Just after these first impressions and the short introductions you have seen, do you think that one of these alphas will indeed end up being the one to claim you?” The next question sounded, and Baekhyun’s mouth moved before he could think.

“Yes.” It was a simple answer, and as he said it, the omega knew it was true. There were multiple alphas in the group that he felt some type of attraction to. “I mean, I can never be too sure, but there’s enough potential for me to say I believe I will find my mate in this show.”

Even if it wasn’t true, it was what he had to say. The directors were counting on filming the moment he’d get claimed, like some sort of perfect porn movie, so even if he didn’t want to, he’d have to. There was no escape. 

“There were actually two female alphas chosen to be a part of this group. Have you ever considered being with a female alpha? Some people disregard their status, and I’d like to know your thoughts,” one of Baekhyun’s favourite journalists asked. 

She was an alpha herself, and she always stood up for the underdog, asking interesting questions that really had him think of his answers before he would give them. 

“It was a bit of a surprise, I have to admit,” Baekhyun told her, “but it doesn’t averse me. Female alphas are alphas too, and they deserve my attention just as much as the male ones do. I would not like to be disregarded because I am a male omega, either. And just because I’ve never been with a female alpha, does not mean I am excluding them.” 

His answer seemed to please the journalist, who sent him her soft, thankful smile before she sat back down again. And on the circus went. Questions about the acts, about whether he was nervous about moving into the house with ten strangers. Or, well, nine strangers.

As if they could read his mind, the next question was about the one alpha he knew. “Chanyeol is an old friend of yours, right? Yes, well he openly confessed his love for you on stage today. What would your response have been had he done this back when you still knew each other?” 

The first question about Chanyeol was one he wasn’t sure he knew the answer to. Would he have risked their friendship back in the days to try and build a relationship? It was clear now that they had both been invested in it, but back then Baekhyun had been in doubt for a reason.

They had been doing their little waltz for too long, and the omega had been the first to cut their dance. But should he be saying such a thing now? Should he let his words give Chanyeol hope when he couldn’t promise him anything? 

“I- I don’t know,” he admitted, “taking friendship to a relationship is so much more complicated than starting off dating someone. It’s not that I wasn’t attracted to Chanyeol back in the days, he has to be aware of that, but it turned out both of us weren’t ready to take that step into more. So I’m not sure if it would have changed anything.” 

The follow up question was a predictable one, “and what about now? Are you still attracted to him now?” they were hanging onto his every word, hoping to get something that could blow up their stories. They wanted to create that fairy tale Minseok had painted for them. 

He knew he wasn’t supposed to give him hope, and yet Baekhyun couldn’t lie. Knowing Chanyeol might be watching, that he could ruin everything if he lied now and told the world ‘no’. 

“Yes, I am. He’s gotten even more handsome than I remembered, but years have passed and both of us have changed. It is very possible we are no longer as compatible as I remember us being.” 

A soft murmur started at his answer, but Baekhyun wasn’t done. He wanted to make clear the way he felt inside, how unsure he was of everything. He needed time. 

“The game has yet to be played. I have ten suitors, who all have admirable qualities and I will give each and every one of them an equal opportunity. The fact that I knew Chanyeol already does not mean anything. All ten of them are at the start still, no one has an advantage. Only time will tell who will win my heart. Thank you.”


	9. The Roommate

**A/N: Oh my god it has been so long and I did not really just how many people got here. Anyway, after a long hiatus and me working on BAE 2020, I finally found the time and motivation to pick this story back up and I've been going at it for a bit now. Checking here made me realise I didn't even get as far with the updating as I had on twitter so here we go! If anyone's still here... you rock. **

\---

[Chanyeol's POV]

Chanyeol ended up sharing a room with mister perfection himself: Kim Jongin. 

It wasn’t his own decision whatsoever, no, it had been made for them, and with reason too. Chanyeol knew it was because the producers felt they could be the two biggest competitors in the house. They clearly wanted to get the best television possible.

It was funny, though, that they believed he was a top contender, because the part of Baekhyun’s outburst that he had caught earlier hadn’t made him feel very confident he had a shot at all.

_“Why was he added?”_

It hadn’t sounded very welcoming, and neither had the words that had followed. Hearing the omega say he doubted that Chanyeol’s feelings for him were genuine had been like a shot to the heart and the bullet was still lodged inside. He was bleeding, but still breathing. 

He knew he had no reason to expect anything from Baekhyun, but he had hoped for a bit more. For some type of reaction to tell him he had done right by coming to the show. That Baekhyun was still /his/ Baekhyun, the boy he remembered so clearly. 

The snappy remarks at his manager had been so out of character to Chanyeol, that the newest worry on the alpha’s mind was that maybe the omega had changed over the years. Maybe fame had got to him the way it seemed to have touched ‘the great’ Kim Jongin as well. 

The actor wasn’t an asshole, not really, he was just overly confident. It was clear to anyone that he was feeling himself, and he was loud about it, too. Louder than anyone Chanyeol had ever come across. 

They hadn’t been in the house for even an hour and yet he had already discarded his shirt and was walking around singing quietly, looking every part the calm and relaxed contestant. 

Chanyeol, however, was nervously folding his clothes and putting away all his things while he went over his game plan in his head. 

There would definitely be moments he wouldn’t be able to control, things that would be getting on their path that he wasn’t aware of yet, and least of all he could influence the other alphas. But even with all of that uncertainty, he knew what to do; give his everything.

For the first game, which would take place the next morning, they had been asked to hand over two objects of which Baekhyun would have to guess who they belonged to. 

Chanyeol had thought about it for weeks, ever since he first received the list of things to pack with the request for this game, and he had settled on something that would spark a memory and something that was very clearly Chanyeol’s.

And still he worried. Because, what if by a run of bad luck, Baekhyun didn’t remember? Or what if he would choose the wrong person on purpose because he didn’t want Chanyeol to win? There were so many surrounding factors that could influence the outcome, he almost wanted to stop trying. 

“So get this,” Jongin barged in, whistling as he looked at the phone in his hand, “apparently Baekhyun thinks my act was more impressive than your target shooting thing. I mean, I knew my abs were powerful, but this powerful?” 

Said abs were still very much on display, and Chanyeol sighed quietly as he rolled his eyes, putting another shirt on a hanger as he stayed quiet. His curiosity was burning, he wanted to hear more about the things Baekhyun had said now that they still had their phones, but he thought better of it.

“Well, when you’re old and grey you won’t have them anymore, so they seem superficial to me,” he threw back, maybe sounding a little bitter about the fact that he didn’t have the same hot body as Jongin did.

The actor went quiet, like the insult had actually hurt him, and Chanyeol would have felt bad about it if it wasn’t such a pitiful thing to be upset over. But Jongin was indeed upset, probably not used to getting negative commentary, and he was petty enough to hit back with a shot that he knew would hurt in return.

“At least I had the guts to step forward and confess my feelings in time. You, maybe your chance would have been wasted back in the days either, but now… Baek said himself that he doesn’t think it would have changed anything if you had confessed all those years ago.” 

Chanyeol dropped his shirt as the words registered, a sudden ache in his heart shocking his entire system and making his limbs lose all their strength. For a moment every emotion was dulled, as he looked at Jongin’s slightly smug smile, and then like a boomerang everything came back at full force. 

His hands balled into fists at his sides as anger flooded him like a tidal wave. And as he sat there thinking about it, he started to believe Jongin was just fucking with him. He had to be. 

Except the boy could read his thoughts and told him, “don’t believe me, do you? Check for yourself then.” He threw the phone at the other’s bed without a care in the world, and Chanyeol watched him fall back on the mattress before he went to pick it up. 

On the screen he found an article about the press conference that had followed the showcase, and sure enough a list of questions was written out, Baekhyun’s answers added in cursive writing beneath.

And yes, Jongin’s words were true, in a way. Chanyeol read how Baekhyun had said it wouldn’t have made a difference all those years ago, and that hurt. 

Knowing Chanyeol might not have had a shot back in the days was painful, but it didn’t fully smother the flame that was his hope.

Because even with those words said, Baekhyun had also not eliminated him completely. There was a subtle tinge of secrecy to his words, almost as if he meant more than what he was saying but something was holding him back. 

Chanyeol had a hard time believing Baekhyun was being completely honest with the press. He had a role to play even in this show, could never truly be himself out in the public eye, and the alpha was so ready to gain some privacy in the house so he could really hear him out. 

“This doesn’t mean anything,” he told Jongin, “you don’t know anything about our past, and I don’t believe you show the world all of yourself with a job like that. Neither does Baekhyun.” 

Chanyeol stood up, ready to return the phone, and as he handed it to a startled looking Jongin he smiled at him, “also, let me just say… I don’t buy the tough guy act you’re putting up. Just because you’re an alpha, and a famous one at that, does not mean you have to be this cocky.” 

Jongin blinked at him, as if no one had ever told him before to just cut the crap and act like himself, and as his fingers curled around the phone, Chanyeol watched his facial expression change so many times that he wondered if some of the emotions had even properly registered. 

“I don’t need your advice,” the actor grumbled as he rolled over on his stomach, out of view, “I’m Kim Jongin, I don’t need anyone’s advice.” It was enough to tell Chanyeol he had touched a sore point. 

Life of an idol had to be hard, Jongin was all the proof he needed. Always playing pretend, showing your best self - Baekhyun included - had to be difficult. Chanyeol wondered if it had changed the omega he so loved, or if deep down beneath the fame, was his soulmate. Like a sleeping beauty, ready to be woken up again. 


	10. The Arrival

**[Chanyeol's POV]**

Everyone knew it the moment Baekhyun entered the house. They didn’t know it because all alphas had been directed to the spacious living room of the villa by some unimportant assistants, right after they had eaten dinner together. 

No announcements were made while the alphas were ushered into the room, there had only been the request to gather in what would soon be the center stage of the entire show. 

The living room was filled with three large couches, fit for at least five people each, set up in a U-shape around a massive TV screen. On it was the logo of the show, colourful banners flying in and out of the screen as it played over and over again while they sat there, patiently waiting for what was next. 

Everyone seemed aware of the cameras around them, for no one spoke a word the first few minutes, not until the silence became unbearable at least. When it did, Jongin was the first to break it, and Sehun was the alpha he started a conversation with. 

Their voices weren’t that loud, but still Chanyeol found his attention shifting to their talk a lot. They spoke about dance, about the people Sehun had worked with that they both knew, but as expected, they were smart enough not to discuss Baekhyun or strategy. Unfortunately. 

Jongin was in the middle of his sentence when it happened. The shift in air was sudden and swift, like every single alpha in the room had heard the sound of an ear-deafening explosion just a door down and was now focused on the source of it. 

But it wasn’t sound they were responding to, it was smell. The smell of an omega’s pheromones, nervous pheromones, that peaked everyone’s interest. Heads shot up, turning towards where the scent was the sharpest, and Chanyeol observed the changes in posture of his fellow alphas as they realised what was happening.

To him this was just Baekhyun, someone whose pheromones he had become so used to in his life that this hardly affected him the same way it did the others. He didn’t feel the need to broaden his shoulders or puff up his chest, to give off this ‘powerful alpha’ aura that some were desperately trying to emit.

Funnily enough, the only alphas who stayed as calm as he was, were the girls; Seulgi and Taeyeon, and fitness trainer Yixing. The latter seemed confused more than anything, as if he somehow wasn’t picking up on the same thing everyone else was, and Chanyeol smiled at the bewildered look on his face.

As for the girls, the only noticeable difference in them was a change in their posture. They sat a little straighter, bodies curving appealingly, legs crossed at the ankle and skirts riding a tiny bit higher. They looked sexy and confident, demanding respect in their own way without being overly obvious about it.

Chanyeol liked them already. Liked how they had connected as allies, rather than seeing each other as enemies the way he and Jongin obviously did. It would be nice to make some friends here, too, instead of being a lone wolf trying to claim the crown. 

But still, whether he would make friends or not, his top priority was and would always be his mission. The plan that had been set into motion today was about to reach its next phase. The first impression was over and done with, but regardless of that, this moment would be important too. 

Chanyeol had contemplated everything, from the way he should be seated to the look on his face. He’d practiced it in the mirror at home, needing to ooze comfort and warmth rather than fiery passion the way every other alpha was. 

Because just imagine you were the only omega, about to enter a room of ten hungry alphas that were all there because they wanted to be with you. Imagine what that would feel like. Ten pairs of eyes on you, ten strong personalities trying to impress you with their own pheromones while analysing anything you do under their gazes. 

Then add all of the cameras that were around, all the extra pairs of eyes watching along from outside that room. The pressure of needing to perform, to bring entertainment but also look for something, someone, you truly longed for. And then combine all of that together, like the perilous cocktail it is, and think of what would really stand out.

The answer would not be ‘someone who tries really hard’, nor ‘someone who demands respect with their presence alone’. It wasn’t ‘the hottest’ or ‘the strongest smelling’, and neither was it ‘the loudest’. 

The answer would be something different. It would be the shelter from every wrong answer, the sanctuary there to escape the violence of nine others. A place to feel safe and comforted, like having found refuge within the room, a place that felt most like home. 

It wasn’t in Jackson’s million watt smile, nor in Jongdae’s heart-eyes. It wasn’t in Joongi’s strong posture and hard gaze and it sure as hell wasn’t in Lucas’s... everything. Sure, he was the maknae of this group of alphas, but even with that put into consideration, Lucas took playfulness to a whole new level.

Chanyeol couldn’t help but scrunch up his nose as the young alpha bounced over to another seat, being closest to the door, and then proceeded to fuck up in about every way Chanyeol had just analysed. 

He shouldn’t be so invested in what the other alphas were doing, as the focus should be on himself entirely, but he couldn’t help but look around to see if anyone else was thinking the same thing as him. If anyone was doing the same thing. 

Apart from Yixing though, who was still looking a little puzzled, everyone else was highly alerted. Their eyes were on the door while Chanyeol’s were on them, and it was only when he felt fully confident that he could do this that he sat back in his seat and let all the tension seep out of him. 

He didn’t slouch, but he still sat back comfortably, hands in his lap in a relaxed manner, shoulders lowered and head raised. To achieve the emotion he wanted to portray, he let his mind wander to the person they were about to face, the one he was doing this all for. 

Mind going back to a younger Baekhyun, back in high school where he had worn glasses, as he said ‘hi’ to Chanyeol for the first time. To the two of them on Chanyeol’s bed, kicking back and forth their legs as they dreamt up a future with each other in it. An unattainable dream it had been, even back then. 

Chanyeol closed his eyes to think back to the most important moment of his life and how Baekhyun had been there for him through it all; his first rut. He could still recall the smaller’s gentle touches as he had bathed the alpha, the soft songs he had sung to calm both of them down.

Back then, Baekhyun had still been sure he’d present as an alpha, too. Chanyeol was sure that if he had known he’d end up an omega, he wouldn’t have gotten that intimately close to an alpha, not even his best friend, and so Chanyeol was grateful he had been the first to come of age. 

Baekhyun’s fingers stroking through his hair, his gentle hands dabbing away the sweat from his face… Chanyeol often thought back to that moment and wondered how it had taken him by surprise that his friend had gone into heat only months after. He should have known Baekhyun would present as an omega, it should have been obvious. 

He vividly remembered the scared look in the boy’s eyes as he had told Chanyeol of his heat, afraid of things changing between them after that moment. It was another memory that had been engraved in the alpha’s mind. The way he had felt that day was exactly how he would always want to feel about his mate; protective, affectionate and a tinge possessive.

It was how he wanted to feel right now, with Baekhyun walking into the room. He needed that protectiveness to show, the same way it had done as he had lain in front of Baekhyun’s door in wolf form, protecting the omega from anyone who might have smelled his heat and longed for a taste. 

He wanted one look to be enough for Baekhyun to tell that even though years had passed, he’d still do the same for him now. He’d fight any of these other alphas for him, was only waiting for a signal to strike and finally take his place at the omega’s side, ready to shield him from anyone undeserving. 

When he opened his eyes, having felt another shift in the room, he found himself staring right at Baekhyun, who had not only entered the room but already stood in the middle of it. Right in front of the television, with the logo behind him almost mocking him; ‘Claim Me’. 

He stood with his hands folded in front of himself, eyes darting back and forth between alphas, until they just fell to the ground and stayed there. Chanyeol could hardly blame him, as the tension in the room had built up so much that even he was getting dizzy with the stench of every alpha trying to impress. 

“W-welcome alphas,” Baekhyun began, the slight quiver to his voice hardly noticeable to the untrained ear, but Chanyeol knew better. His omega was nervous, very much so, and the heavy presences in the room were forcing him into submission even more. 

“I will be settling into my room now, and our first game will start tomorrow. You are all required to be here at 10am sharp. If you are not, you will lose your first chance at going on a date with me. If you are, then I hope you sent me some clever objects that are easy to guess, because only two of you will be able to join me for the first date.” 

Baekhyun had been instructed to say this, it was easy to tell from the way he spoke, all in one tone and the sentences bleeding into each other. He lacked the charisma Chanyeol remembered him having, but then again he had never seen the omega in a room such as this one. 

The alpha’s heart clenched, the dire need to step in and protect Baekhyun from everything was so strong that it was hard to contain himself. Yet he focused on the beating of his heart, forcing it to stay in place as if that would help him stay in place too. 

And then the omega looked up, eyes skidding left and right again, feeling especially drawn to the most intense alphas, which was understandable. The quick flashes of uneasiness that could be seen in his eyes were sign enough that he wasn’t that intimidated by them, however. 

Despite that, they did claim the omega’s attention more than anything else, and the more time passed, the harder Chanyeol was begging with his gaze for Baekhyun to just look at him and see every memory that had flashed behind his closed eyes over the past few minutes. 

“Thank you,” Baekhyun said then, before he gave a courteous nod and turned away, shoulders dropping in relief. His strides were big, as if he was trying to escape from the room, and finally Chanyeol sat up straighter, turning to the door just like everyone else to watch him go.

But not before one last glance, because there had to be a last glance. Something, even the tiniest thing, to keep Chanyeol up on his feet right now. To make up for the words said at the interview, to keep that flicker of hope alight inside Chanyeol’s chest. 

The door opened for him, and Baekhyun grabbed the handle, which he held onto as his feet finally slowed down. Everyone in the room seemed to be holding their breaths as they waited for more to be said, for more to be done, but the pause was brief. 

Baekhyun walked out without looking back, without even the shortest glance in anyone’s direction. He left the room, the sound of the door closing just as loud as the beating of Chanyeol’s heart. 

As the room deflated all at once, shoulders hunching, bodies relaxing and quiet chatter breaking out, Chanyeol still sat looking at the door. He blinked rapidly, along to the pitter-patter of his heart hammering inside his chest, aching every time it pumped more blood through his veins. 

Because a dark thought clouded his mind, making him unable to see anything else in that moment. The thought that maybe, possibly, Baekhyun didn’t want him there.


	11. The First Night

[Baekhyun's POV] 

“Ahh,” Baekhyun groaned as he let himself fall down on his bed, falling face first into the fresh sheets, nose pressed to the feathery duvet and leaving him unable to breathe. Good.

Now that he was finally alone, with a locked door between him and those ten hungry wolves sharing this house with him, he could finally wind down and let all the intense affairs of the day come to rest. 

But winding down didn’t mean having it easy. It only meant not feeling as restricted, not having to think about what other thoughts about his outfit, his mood or his words. It didn’t mean what it should mean; a worry-free time. Not at all.

Needing air, the omega rolled over onto his back and closed his eyes to the world. His heart was aching in his chest like something heavy was resting on it, the discomfort bad enough for him to bring his fingers up to his ribcage and press down where it hurt most. 

He was forever grateful the cameras weren’t there in his room to pick up his whispered, “Chanyeol,” as he lay like that. Head tipped back, eyes closed, hands on his heart. Emotions finally on display, vulnerability showing. 

This room was the one place where he could let go of everything and show his true feelings, and right now those were linked to that moment in the living room. To being overwhelmed by pheromones and dark looks and finding Chanyeol looking so calm and composed. As if he hadn’t felt the need to be the most impressive alpha of the bunch, whatsoever. 

Perhaps he had felt a little as if Chanyeol didn’t want to be there at all, he had looked that carefree. While the others had been trying their best to impress him again, maybe a bit too much, Chanyeol had been the complete opposite. 

Baekhyun knew it wasn’t really because he didn’t want to be there, he had fought to reach the top 10 with a reason after all, and he also knew things were different between him and Chanyeol because they had history that he didn’t have with anyone else in the group. It just made everything that much more complicated. 

Part of the omega wanted nothing more than to be with him already. To tell everyone else to go home so they could finally give their long-overdue feelings for each other a chance, but it wasn’t possible to do that. Too much was riding on this show for him to think with just his heart. 

Maybe Chanyeol hadn’t looked at him because he knew he didn’t have to do so in order to make Baekhyun’s heart drop fast enough that he’d feel it in his ass. Or maybe he was angry with Baekhyun for what he had said during the press conference. Maybe they had broadcast it on the TV right there in the living room, for every alpha to see.

The uncertainty of everything that was ‘Chanyeol and Baekhyun’ made the omega feel so restless. The continuous questions of whether something was meant a certain way or not, and the doubt he felt whenever he thought about how he should respond to the alpha were already driving him crazy.

To show his interest or not, that was the question. 

He couldn’t keep switching back and forth between ‘yes’ and ‘no’, it was playing with both his own feelings as well as Chanyeol’s. So what should he do? Should he give in to his heart and see if his mind agreed, or should he stick to his guns and keep suffering in private? 


	12. The First Challenge

A/N: Strap in, this is a longer one

[Chanyeol's POV] 

“Good morning, everyone,” Minseok welcomed the alphas as a group for the first time. The show had started ten minutes before, the cameras rolling and lights blinding ten determined faces as they settled in their seats. 

Chanyeol was back on the same couch, this time seated between Yixing and Seulgi, and his attention was on the small omega that would be presenting the entire two-week long show. He’d make a good host, that wasn’t the problem. The problem was the rest of the entire circus.

He mumbled a good morning in return, all off and not very dynamic. Around him, most alphas were eager to get straight to it, but this was the entertainment industry and that meant unnecessarily long intros and reruns whenever someone would fuck up their lines. 

It was a hot day, and along to the heat, the nerves made Chanyeol sweat profusely. The make-up team had been fussing about with him all morning, trying to get his face to appear dry and perfect, but a minute into the first take he had already wiped away their carefully applied layer of foundation. 

All of this was ridiculous, absolutely insane and unnecessary, but he was doing it all for Baekhyun. For the man of his dreams, who was sitting in a room a few doors down waiting with a circus of his own so he could play the first game. 

“Welcome to your first proper day in the house and the morning of the first challenge! We hope you made some careful choices for this one, because a date with our beautiful omega is on the line,” Minseok explained, doing his job well even though it took forever to get to the point.

“The first two right guesses that our Baekhyunnie makes will be the two lucky alphas to join him tonight at a lovely seaside restaurant with a private booth for three. And let’s say, competing with one other alpha must be much better than being up against nine, isn’t it?” 

Some of the conteders made an approving sound as they agreed to that, but to Chanyeol it didn’t really make a difference. Sure, getting more time alone with Baekhyun was great, but at the end of the day it was about the connection between them, not the amount of time spent together. 

That being said, he still hoped to win the challenge, just so he could set things straight between them. He needed Baekhyun to know about how hard he had tried to get to him before, how much he missed the way they had been together years ago. And the sooner he got that out there, the better. 

“Alright, let’s switch over to Baekhyun, who’s somewhere else in this house. We couldn’t let him sit here and have you spoil the game with any secret hints for him, so let’s put him up on the screen,” Minseok stepped aside so the alphas could have a full view of the TV that had been behind him. 

Up popped an image of Baekhyun, image of perfection, as he patiently sat on a stool waiting for further instructions. His hands lay folded in his lap, his fingers linked to give himself strength, but those were the only things giving away his nerves because he looked completely comfortable otherwise. 

Dressed in a simple shirt in a soft pink colour and his hair shiny and parted in the middle, he looked as innocent as ever. The dreamy angel his company had made him to be shone from the apples of his cheeks as he smiled, his eyes narrowing beautifully. 

Chanyeol felt his heart clench in his chest before it dropped a hundred feet and was launched back up, like it had been tied to a bungee cord and had taken the fall. 

Just the sight of the omega and the knowledge that he was only rooms away, so close but yet so far, made the alpha lose it without warning. His face was even hotter than before, his pulse could be felt in his neck and the palms of his hands had become clammy all at once. 

He found himself subconsciously copying Baekhyun’s posture, hands in his lap and leaning forward as if that could get him closer, and while he did so, the omega waved one hand at the screen and started talking about the challenge. 

“Alright, I have 10 little boxes in front of me and in each of these there will be two belongings of every single one of you. The challenge will be as follows: I pick a number and get to see the items. I will only get to see them, not touch them or smell them, but once I open one I have to guess who it belongs to.” 

Baekhyun managed to sound a little flustered as he spoke, but he did well regardless and Chanyeol found himself smiling.

“If I am wrong about who it belongs to, I’m not allowed to immediately reopen the same box, but I am allowed to go back to it at a later time. The first two correct guesses are the two alphas coming with me tonight, like Minseok said.” 

To confirm this all, the latter nodded his head and turned to look every alpha in the eye, “ladies and gentleman, I hope you are ready, because things are about to kick off! You best hope fate is on your side, or else you will not be dining with Baekhyun tonight…” 

After a few final words of instructions, the ball was played to Baekhyun, who got to start with the first number of his choice. 

“Seen as this is the first one, let’s start with number one,” the omega laughed shyly, fingers now twitching as he knew he had to pay attention to everything happening around him. 

Inside the first box were boxing gloves and a picture of a cute dog with the biggest white, fluffy fur that Chanyeol had ever seen. The sight of them made Baekhyun worry on his lower lip, something Chanyeol loved about him and had missed so dearly that he couldn’t help but smile at it.

“Uhm, I don’t know anyone well enough to properly do this game at all, so I’m picking based on the little knowledge I have… The boxing gloves make me think of working out, and that makes me think of Yixing. Are these Yixing’s?” 

A loud buzzer made all of them aware that they were in fact not Yixing’s, and Baekhyun’s face fell in a way that made it unclear if it was because he wanted the alpha to go on the date with him, or if it was because he had been wrong. 

Inside the living room, all alphas had eyes on each other as if to check whose it really was, and once aware of that, Sehun raised his hand and claimed box number one, “as a dancer you need good core strength so that’s why I love kickboxing, and well, I love Vivi too so I had to put him in.” 

Chanyeol wanted to laugh at his idiocy. 

It was stupid to put a picture of a dog up for the challenge, because Baekhyun didn’t know those kinds of things yet. Anyone smart enough would pick something that would be easy to recognise. 

And his point was proven once Baekhyun opened up the second box, number six, which revealed a film award and a tiny plush bear, and the omega immediately exclaimed, “Jongin.”

Nine alphas released a tiny sigh, feeling the pressure of one spot now having been taken, while Jongin jumped up and started dancing around as Baekhyun got the confirmation that he had been right. 

In a way it was unfair, because these things were common knowledge to everyone in the room, all because Jongin was a public figure and got to play the ‘famous’ card this early into the game. 

However Chanyeol wasn’t going to be bitter about it. He’d let the actor have his victory for now, because he knew that haste makes waste. 

With this challenge, the odds had undoubtedly been in Jongin’s favor, but Chanyeol was certain there would be a time where he would have the advantage. He just had to wait patiently for that moment to come and use it when it did.

Besides, there was another spot open for this first date. Nothing was lost, yet. 

Once the excitement of having his first pick wore off, Baekhyun went back to opening boxes. He wrongly guessed the contents of number eight and two, and Chanyeol had just found back some peace of mind when the omega opened the box with his belongings. 

Box number four, holding a bandom t-shirt that he and Baekhyun had bought together back in high school, as well as a medical mask. A link to the past and a link to his present. A memory, and a hint to his job. Baekhyun had to know this, right?

Chanyeol watched his soulmate’s face as his heart lodged itself in his throat, preventing any air from coming into his lungs until he’d hear Baekhyun say it. He didn’t want to miss hearing him, didn’t want to miss seeing him either, and so he didn’t blink or move at all.

The nine other alphas ceased to exist in that moment, and maybe it was the lack of air making him dizzy, but he felt like he was racing closer and closer to Baekhyun, as if he was right in front of the omega in that very moment. 

He swore he saw recognition in those beautifully focused eyes, a spark of sorts as he recalled that day from their past, but it may just have been a fragment of his imagination, because the name slipping from Baekhyun’s lips wasn’t his. 

“I- this shirt, does it have to do with fashion? Is it Seulgi?” 

The loud buzzer was the sound of a hammer coming down on Chanyeol’s heart, the punch to his chest that he needed to start breathing again, and he dropped his face in his hands as he inhaled painfully for the first time in what felt like minutes. 

It sounded shaky to his own ears, and Chanyeol wished he could just hide away now, retreat into his room because clearly Baekhyun didn’t remember and that hurt. However, it was exactly that moment that the little flame in his chest that had been so close to distinguishing, was suddenly revived again. 

“/Oh/, no,” his omega spoke, a slight gasp leaving him, and Chanyeol looked up to see his startled eyes on the screen. That was it, that was the realisation finally hitting him, and the alpha wondered what it meant. 

Did he want to go back and guess again? Because he couldn’t, not until he had tried at least another box. 

Regardless, Chanyeol’s heart was beating again, slamming against his ribcage as it tried to crawl out and throw itself at Baekhyun’s feet. He wanted to be his so badly that everything ached in that moment. 

Baekhyun had to pick another box, and he went back to box number one. Saying Yixing’s name again wasn’t possible, but when the omega chose it truly sounded like he was sure he would be wrong again. 

Chanyeol felt himself hoping that this was strategy on Baekhyun’s side, that he had picked a box he had already opened so he could go back to box number four again once he’d hear the buzzer to tell him he was wrong. 

Except, “I think this one is Sehun’s.” 

He got it right. 

\-----------------------

  
[Baekhyun's POV] 

Baekhyun blinked in shock as the loud buzzing sound confirmed how he had guessed correctly, when he hadn’t even been attempting to be right at all. 

In fact, it wasn’t what he had wanted, but fate had thrown him a curveball, telling him ‘everyone deserves a shot’ as if to mock his heart and the choice it had wanted to make. 

Moments before, when he had said Seulgi’s name for box number four, it had dawned on him that he had seen that shirt before. And knowing where it came from made him want to say the right name.

He had only picked box number one because he had wanted to be wrong on that try, only so he could go back to box number four and give the name he had been hoping to say from the moment he had sat down on that stool. 

He hadn’t been looking properly, heart beating too loudly for him to be completely focused, but when he had finally realised what was on the shirt, he had been certain of who it belonged to. Only he had been a fraction too late. 

Had he taken another second to think, maybe things would be different now. Maybe instead of Sehun, he’d be seeing Chanyeol. 

Or was it better this way? Was it best to see the other alphas first before he’d get to /him/ or would his heart always wonder what was left of their feelings, leaving him unable to connect with anyone else in the meantime?

Baekhyun didn’t know the answers to those questions, but he wanted to find out, which was why he had hoped for Chanyeol to be on the first date. Apparently, though, life had something else for him in store. 

Now, with the cameras on his face, all he could do was put on a smile and pretend to be excited about it all. On the inside he felt the disappointment, the feeling of having lost at a game he wasn’t even sure how to play. 

“Alright, Jongin and Sehun, you two are the lucky ones that not only get to enjoy a delicious five-star meal, but also the presence of our lovely omega,” Minseok began his part again, giving Baekhyun time to gather his thoughts. 

In his mind, he was back to the day where he had been fifteen, when he had just come of age, and he and Chanyeol had gone out shopping together to get rid of the stress of dealing with his heat. 

They had tried on what felt like a million things, half of them absolutely ridiculous, but this band shirt had been the only thing they had bought together. Almost like a couple item, it felt like. 

It had been a day filled with laughter, with playful banter and icecream, and it had ended with Chanyeol holding his hand as some hungry alphas had gawked at the omega with curious eyes. Because that’s what his best friend had always done: protect Baekhyun. 

He wondered if he still owned the shirt, or if it had been lost during one of his countless moves over the past few years. Either way, it didn’t matter, because this was a lost opportunity.

As Minseok talked through the rest of their day, Baekhyun sat with his head lowered, one hand cradling the other, wishing for Chanyeol to hold it again the way he had done back then. 


	13. The First Talk

[Baekhyun's POV]

Any lingering sadness about the game evaporated the moment Baekhyun was told about what ‘lunch’ would be like. 

It would be an eventful happening that would be pretty much the same every single day, but with an occasional twist to it. 

Baekhyun would spend about an hour in the dining room, a different alpha joining him every five minutes. He’d get to speak to every alpha individually for that little while, just the two of them without interruptions, and gradually over time those five minutes would turn into ten, with half the alphas no longer being invited to join as Baekhyun focused on picking a mate.

The catch today was that every alpha got to pick a dish to bring him, being responsible for the omega’s lunch, and of course this wouldn’t be entertainment if the staff hadn’t put in some dishes that he absolutely hated. 

Baekhyun was nervous about the food, but it was nothing compared to how he felt knowing he was about to be in the same room as Chanyeol, just the two of them, for five whole minutes.

It may not be the same as going on a date together, but it would be some alone time regardless, and while he got his make-up fixed he thought about what to do or what to say once they’d actually be face to face and got to talk.

Up so far there had always been something in the way of that. The show, nine other alphas, his stupid brain… but the time was here and Baekhyun found himself with his heart in his throat as he anticipated the moment he’d walk in. 

His knee couldn’t stop moving, bouncing up and down nervously, as he patiently waited for the first alpha to join him in the room. He had no way of knowing who would come in when, there was no set order, and so he could only worry on his lower lip whenever the door opened to reveal someone new.

He started his lunch with Joongi, who brought him a safe bet: soup.

“Considering I’m the first I thought let’s start of with somewhat of a first course meal,” the man said, sending a warm and reassuring smile, which the omega returned with one of his own.

He thanked him for the food while he picked up a spoon, and while he did Joongi’s eyes dropped to Baekhyun’s hands and he concluded, “you’re nervous. That’s okay, I understand. I’ll try not to make things worse.”

The omega laughed quietly, feeling uncomfortable being watched this closely by someone who helped people with their issues for a living. He tried to relax though, taking the man’s words to heart, but it wasn’t easy when he followed that statement by asking Baekhyun a question way too personal to answer on TV.

“So, I’m mostly curious about at what age you’ll want to retire from the business to carry pups and raise them?” Joongi sounded completely serious, and it almost got hot soup to shoot out the omega’s nose. 

Catching himself in time, Baekhyun pressed his napkin to his face to hide his expression from view. What to do about this? Should he just be honest? Everything was a mess already anyway, so how else could he save this moment?

“I- uh, I haven’t even thought about pups. I mean, I like my life the way it is now, so I don’t feel that desire yet?” then, to show he didn’t feel comfortable, he added, “you’re pretty straightforward, aren’t you?” 

Joongi chuckled and shrugged, “what’s the point of this if I’m not? With my job I constantly see people who lose everything by not telling the truth, by keeping things from the people they love. It’s best to be like this, even if it’s a little overwhelming.” 

As he listened, Baekhyun could only think of how much that actually made sense. Joongi knew he was much, but he did it on purpose because he felt it was the only way to form an genuine relationship. It made sense because after all, Baekhyun had lost Chanyeol because he had been too afraid to be honest with him. 

After Joongi’s insightful approach came Taeyeon, with whom he had a lovely talk about vocals. It turned out they had taken singing lessons at the same school when they had been younger, and Baekhyun enjoyed the feeling of having a mutual interest. It kept them from talking about anything too serious, which was a welcome change from his first conversation.

After Taeyeon came Jongdae and Jackson, both of which had picked a dish that Baekhyun did not like. He tried to eat some of it, but his face had showed how he really didn’t like them and he had been unable to finish. 

Jongdae had become incredibly flustered upon realising the mistake, offering up some of his own food to make up for it, whereas Jackson had cleared his throat and tried to ignore it. His worried eyes had told the omega he knew he had picked the wrong thing, but he never made it obvious. 

By then, with the first four alphas done, Baekhyun had started to relax some more. He wasn’t as rigid, shoulders not as tense, and he even smiled at his make-up noona when she came to powder his face again. 

That’s how he ended up with his guard all the way down, and why it came as an even bigger shock when the fifth alpha ended up being Chanyeol. 

Baekhyun had been sure they would have put him towards the end, building up again the way they had done with the first showcase, but apparently they had purposely changed things to catch the omega off guard, and well, off guard he was.

He was still smiling when he watched the door open, the tall alpha turning his head around it and making his presence known almost shyly. When their eyes locked, Chanyeol slipped inside with two plates in his hands, but Baekhyun wasn’t even looking at the dishes he had brought as he was captivated by his beautiful face. 

Chanyeol looked away as some staff moved around him, but he returned his gaze the moment the door closed behind them and they were alone, ignoring the cameras and the people behind them. 

They stared at each other for a while, as if surprised to be in the same room, and then the alpha’s face broke out in the most beautiful smile and he moved again.

Within a few long strides he was at Baekhyun’s table, setting down the plates before he slid into the seat across the omega’s, all without having said anything whatsoever.

The silence was deafening as they came to a stop like that, facing each other without speaking still, and Baekhyun felt how a blush was starting to rise up on his cheeks so he averted his eyes. 

Conveniently, he dropped them to the table, where he found two plates with two different slices of cake: one strawberry cheesecake and one chocolate mint one. 

“Chocolate mint? Daring choice,” Baekhyun chuckled and raised an eyebrow before he grabbed the plate to try and slide it his way, but Chanyeol stopped him, the plate now in between the middle of the table and Baekhyun. 

“Actually,” the alpha spoke, his voice way calmer than Baekhyun was feeling inside, and he released the tension in his hand so Chanyeol could slide the plate back a little, “I thought we could share.” 

Baekhyun’s best friend leaned forward, dizzying the omega with his scent, and it was only then that he realised how much he had missed Chanyeol. Memories didn’t do him justice, and the overwhelming need to touch him was almost enough to have Baekhyun climb across the table to get to him. 

So, giving himself a reason not to speak, Baekhyun nodded and let the alpha lead. They both picked up a fork and went for the chocolate mint cake, which was one of the omega’s secret favorites that no one must have dared to pick apart from the one person that knew him. 

Then, while Baekhyun ate, it was Chanyeol who filled the silence with his thoughts. His voice was deeper than the omega remembered it being, and it was sending tingles down his spine. 

“Finally I’ve got you to myself a little,” the alpha first said, his smile still so warm, “I’ve been wanting to talk to you since I first got up on that stage with you. I’m not sure it was a welcome surprise or not, but I’m here now and I’d love to explain myself.” 

Baekhyun slowly lifted his gaze again, locking eyes with Chanyeol as he held back words that would show him just how welcome he had been. He didn’t want to be too obvious, not just because of the cameras that were on them, but also because he didn’t want to give his old friend too much hope. 

“I was definitely surprised, yes,” Baekhyun said instead, clearing his throat as he put down his fork and folded his hands on the table, “but it’s good to see you again. I thought you would be happily mated by now, but I was wrong.”

Chanyeol chuckled and shrugged his shoulders, “yeah, well I realised I was in love with you right about when you left, and once I did you were already out of reach. Changed phone numbers, no ways to contact you. I even bought your albums to try and get into any fansigns, but as you know it never got me anywhere. Not until this show.”

While the alpha spoke, his fingers inched closer to Baekhyun’s, reaching out to touch. The omega knew it was about to happen, he was anticipating it, and he didn’t stop it simply because he had to know if touching him still felt the same as it had always done. 

“You did?” Baekhyun asked, right before Chanyeol’s fingers bumped into his, sliding in between the gaps between Baekhyun’s, and his thumb covered the omega’s with such ease and familiarity that it felt like breathing. 

“I did. But now I’m here to show you that I’m the perfect mate for you,” the alpha promised, his voice even darker as he vowed, “that I’ve always been.” 

Baekhyun’s heart skipped a beat at the words, and he couldn’t do anything but believe them, without a doubt. He was right back to his teenage years, to that moment before he had first crawled on top of Chanyeol and kissed him, and he felt the same excitement in his gut.

He wanted to do it again, to press their mouths together and let his hands wander, to brush them through his hair and down his back, to feel strong arms pull him in. 

The desire was so strong that it was difficult to snap himself out of it, and the knowing smile on Chanyeol’s face told the omega that he was being obvious about it, too. 

“You had years to settle down with someone, years away from me to find an alpha worthy of you, but you didn’t and I’m taking it as a sign that fate isn’t done playing with us yet. And maybe I wasn’t lucky enough to win the first date, but I don’t mind as long as I win the final one.” 

Baekhyun was at a loss for words, finding it hard to deal with how direct Chanyeol was being, but he was happy to hear it. He was happy to know it wasn’t the production team that had brought the alpha in for entertainment purposes. It had really been Chanyeol himself who had gotten in. 

Somehow it was a relief to know how serious the man in front of him was, and it was definitely a reason for Baekhyun to allow the butterflies to open their wings in his stomach.

Still, he knew he couldn’t act on his emotions fully. There were nine other alphas there, all deserving his attention, and if he gave his all to Chanyeol too soon he could end up making the wrong choice and regretting it for the rest of his life. 

With the lack of reply, Chanyeol had begun brushing his thumb across Baekhyun’s hand, silencing him even more as the omega’s mind was going haywire. It was responding to the touch in more ways than one and he wondered if Chanyeol could smell him, because he swore the suppressants weren’t strong enough to hold this back.

“Baekhyun, I-” the alpha began, successfully making Baekhyun’s heart jump in his chest again, but before he could say anything else to steal the omega’s heart, the door was opened and Minseok came in to tell them their five minutes were up.

They’d have to resume their conversation some other time. Worst case scenario, tomorrow at lunch. But Baekhyun was grateful because he needed a moment to let it all sink in. 

Being with Chanyeol was overwhelming in a way he hadn’t expected it to be, made him long to get back a part of himself he had willingly sacrificed for his career. He wondered if he could get it back, even if it was just a part of it, and if Chanyeol was part of it. 


	14. The Scapegoat

[Baekhyun's POV]

A quick round of rock, paper, scissors determined who would get to ride in the car with Baekhyun, and unsurprisingly to any of them, it was Jongin that won. Paper over rock. 

“Hah! See you there sucker,” the actor yelled victoriously while a pout shaped on Sehun’s face, staying there for a few seconds before he shook off the disappointment and retreated to the second car that was waiting for them. 

With him gone Jongin offered his hand, which Baekhyun took, albeit hesitantly. He was led to the back of the first car and, like a gentleman, the alpha held his door for him as he climbed in. Then he rounded the car and climbed in on the other side. 

Along to the driver in the front there was someone from the crew in the passenger seat, a camera on his shoulder that filmed the two in the back. Baekhyun wished he could have a moment of privacy, if only just for a little. Filming in the car, what great content would that bring them? 

He sighed under his breath and buckled up, ready to face the first date with two overly eager alphas. 

To his surprise he wasn’t nervous. Instead he felt dejected, his heart aching as if something was amiss, and he knew it had to do with his talk with Chanyeol earlier that day. He just couldn’t find the excitement of getting to know these guys, because they weren’t /him/. 

All he wanted was to exchange the two of them for Chanyeol and have that be it. He wanted them on the beach, having dinner at candlelight while talking about anything and everything, forgetting the stupid show for a little while. 

He wanted to discuss their first meeting, their friendship, their college days and anything that had happened after. He wanted to be left with zero questions, because until he would get there, he wasn’t sure he could think about anything else. 

Next to him, Jongin did the talking as he explained on camera how ecstatic he was to be there on that first date with Baekhyun. He told them how he wanted to win every game so he could be with the omega everyday, but said omega hardly heard his words.

Baekhyun eyed him quietly, trying to bring himself back to the present, and while Jongin talked animatedly the omega thought about how well the actor had been doing so far. How unexpected it was to have him there. 

Sure, Jongin had always been beautiful and that had attracted Baekhyun’s attention among that of many, many others, but he hadn’t felt any lingering gazes when he and the alpha had first met at a film festival about a year before. 

It seemed so far-fetched to find him here, extremely dedicated and doing so incredibly well, as if he was in fact a good match for Baekhyun. Even the challenge at lunch he had done well, taking Baekhyun’s absolute favorite, which was a little suspicious. 

Just as he thought this, Jongin told the cameraman, “okay, enough, now cut the camera. Off, turn it off.”

He spoke in a demanding tone that didn’t fit the sweetness that had just been apparent in his voice while talking about the date. What’s more, the staff did as asked, not even putting up a fight or sending any confused glances at the request. 

“What are you-” Baekhyun was about to ask, the slightest bit of panic seeping into his veins as his first instinct was to think something was wrong. That this had been part of a bigger plan to capture him and take him and claim him without permission, the way that fucked up fan had tried to do as well, years before.

“So, what do you think so far?” Jongin asked him, his body turned towards the omega, eyes sparkling with curiosity and pride as if Baekhyun was supposed to understand him, “am I acting the perfect alpha or what?” 

Baekhyun blinked at him, knowing he would be able to make sense of this once the anxiety of the situation had disappeared again and his brain would be back to operating in the way it was supposed to. 

Jongin’s bubbly expression was out of character, which was the first thing that pulled Baekhyun back into his mind. Slowly but surely he relaxed back into his seat, the awareness coming to him, and his lips parted in surprise when he realised he had been right from the very start.

“You’re the scapegoat?” he threw at Jongin, laughter bubbling when Jongin’s grin grew even wider, and Baekhyun repeated it as a statement this time, knowing he was right, “you’re the scapegoat, oh my god.”

The relief was instant, the breath he took needed to get rid of the cramps that had previously attacked his entire body, and he pressed a hand to his chest as the alpha laughed at him. 

“I thought they would have told you beforehand, but when I saw you today I realised you didn’t know yet, and well, I kind of need you to know,” Jongin shrugged, “because now we can plan together. I can be your guy on the inside, keeping an eye on the others and passing you info if you need me to, and I can be your cover if necessary.” 

More than a scapegoat, Jongin was offering to help. He absolutely wasn’t there to win Baekhyun over, not even if the omega would decide he actually wanted to be mated with him. He was there solely for support, and that was way more than what Baekhyun could have hoped for.

“Really?” he squeaked, so shocked that he couldn’t even control his voice nor his emotions.

“Yeah,” Jongin chuckled, “who would be able to find their soulmate within two weeks without a little help? It’s ridiculous. So now, if there’s someone you’d like to get closer to, I could help them win games or pass you any information to win yours. And if there’s no one you want then I can suck up even more and make sure everyone believes you and me are the real deal.” 

Baekhyun heaved a sigh, smile now gracing his face, and Jongin punched his shoulder when he saw it, “hey, that’s like the first time I’ve seen you give a real smile like all day.” 

“It’s hard okay, much harder than I expected it to be,” the omega explained, “I always have to be aware of the cameras, I have to be kind and open to everyone and when you have to think that much, it’s hard to enjoy it and actually focus on the decision I’ll have to make.” 

Jongin landed a hand on Baekhyun’s knee and squeezed it, “I get that, but now you’re no longer alone, okay? I’m here to help you. So, with that being said... tell me, any alpha caught your eye yet?” 

Baekhyun remained quiet at that, his mind drifting back to Chanyeol with a bit less uncertainty now. Jongin had taken it away so easily, and now the omega knew he was on his side, he kind of wanted to share. 

“Wait, I think I already know,” Jongin spoke before the omega had even had a chance to say anything, “it’s my ‘rival’, isn’t it? Chanyeol, your childhood friend?” 

Baekhyun suddenly felt the need to get defensive about it, to not make it too obvious, which was something he had been doing since the end of time whenever anyone would corner him about his relationship with Chanyeol.

“I mean, it’s probably because I know him, and I feel stupid because if he had been the one for me then shouldn’t I have realised this back then already?” Baekhyun questioned, happy to finally put the question out there for someone else. 

Jongin hummed, considering the thought before giving his answer, and when he did the omega was certain he had found someone that would be on his side through this all, “maybe, but shouldn’t he have realised it back then either? Doesn’t it mean more that he’s here now, fighting for you when it matters?” 

Baekhyun looked at his hands, which he had folded in his lap, and found himself at war with his mind once again. 


	15. The Midnight Talk

**[Changing POV]**

That night, some alphas retreated to their room early, either going to sleep or just spending some time alone. They all scattered around the house now that it was void of Baekhyun’s presence, and the way some of them were completely different people without the cameras around was a little concerning. 

However understandable it was that people presented themselves differently when there were eyes on them, wasn’t it the entire point that they were there to show their true selves to Baekhyun so he could pick truthfully? Why did it feel so fake?

It was true that a house full of alphas brought tensions and awkward situations, but those weren’t any reason to behave like someone else entirely the moment someone turned on a camera. How was Baekhyun supposed to pick a mate when they only saw their best sides?

Distressed by those thoughts, Chanyeol had left behind most of the mess and had sat at the bar, nursing a drink while making small talk with Yixing. 

So far he was the only alpha that Chanyeol had clicked with. They were pretty similar in the way they dealt with everything in the house, too; quiet most times except for when it mattered. They both had their own plans, which they didn’t discuss, but they were serious.

Out of all of his competition, Chanyeol would be least upset if Baekhyun were to pick Yixing instead of him. 

While he drank, he scanned the hallway, thinking about where everyone had gone off to and what they were doing to pass the time.

From their spot they could hear the group that was going wild in the living room, where Lucas was going for a round of karaoke with Jongdae and Taeyeon. 

Joongi was in his room, reading a book because ‘he was only there for Baekhyun, so if Baekhyun’s was out, he’d be out too’. 

Seulgi was sitting at the kitchen table not too far away, headphones on and a sketchpad under her nose, lost in her own little world. 

And Jackson, he was asleep on one of the couches that stood in their garden, headphones on and arms folded across his chest as if to keep himself warm. 

For a moment everyone had forgotten the competition, warming up to some of the others or taking time to replenish on their own for more interaction on day two. 

Chanyeol was grateful to have Yixing at his side while he downed the liquor from his glass, because although he craved some alone time, he knew he’d never truly be alone. His mind would be providing him with the most vivid images of what could be happening at the date.

The fact that he did not know what they were up to was the absolute worst. Considering the rules in the contract stated that nothing was out of bounds as long as they had the omega’s permission, for all he knew, Baekhyun could be being pleasured by two alphas at that very moment.

“Calm down, don’t want to get drunk now,” Yixing laughed softly as Chanyeol went for another refill, hating how his gut twisted when he thought of Kim Jongin’s bold personality and the two of them on a date. 

“Wouldn’t mind it,” he threw back as he ignored Yixing’s comment and put the glass up to his lips again, “wouldn’t you feel regret if you let the love of your life slip away and now have to fight nine other people to get to him?”

Yixing sighed, pushing his own empty glass aside, “I don’t know, but I’d think that if he was actually the love of my life everything would end up being okay. Half the people here say that Baekhyun is the love of their life, Chanyeol, but we can’t all end up with him.” 

The alpha meant no harm with his words. Chanyeol knew he didn’t mean to say that he was wrong to think he and Baekhyun were meant to be, only to have more faith if he really felt that way, but somehow it felt wrong. Like any of the others meant their words the same way Chanyeol did.

“Do you think it too? Do you think Baekhyun is the one for you?” Chanyeol asked then, no anger in his voice even though he felt the tingle of frustration all the way to his fingertips. 

Yixing sighed at him, getting up from his seat and placing a hand on Chanyeol’s shoulder, “I think that if he is, it will show. I just want him to be happy, man. If that’s with me then it is with me, if it’s with someone else then it’s with someone else. I’ll find my mate one way or another.” 

“Anyway, I’m off to bed. Alcohol makes me sleepy,” he added then, before the brooding alpha could attack him for anything he had said. It felt a bit like he was fleeing, and Chanyeol couldn’t blame him because he had definitely gone a bit too far. 

He dropped his upper body on top of the bar once Yixing had left, and when he turned his head, he saw Seulgi had picked up her stuff and left already too. 

The sounds coming from the living room were dying down, the karaoke party apparently having come to an end, and Chanyeol briefly wondered what time it was and why the missing alphas hadn’t returned from their date yet. 

He didn’t want to think of the answer, but he was alone now, and that meant whether he wanted to or not, his brain was going to provide him with the worst images possible. 

Baekhyun tilting his head back and laughing beautifully, hand on a knee and body leaning towards an alpha, either of them. Walking at the seaside together, hand in hand, getting to know each other and finding whether they could potentially be mates.

Chanyeol fell asleep like that, his thoughts taking over his dreams, sat there at the bar with his fingers on his glass. He fell asleep without realising, the tiring events of the first day having worn him out.

And he didn’t wake until a good hour and a half later, the sound of the fridge opening making him stir in his sleep. 

He remained frozen while he tried to recall what had happened, where he was and why he was so disoriented. The bottles clinking together were confusing, something that didn’t belong in a bedroom, and right about when he realized this, a voice nearby confused him even more.

“What are you still doing here? Have you been here all this time?” there was a fondness to the words, a chuckle to join it, and Chanyeol opened his eyes at once when it registered who the voice belonged to. 

Baekhyun was taking the seat Yixing had occupied hours before, right next to him, and his smile was sweet and affectionate as he took in a sleepy Chanyeol. 

The omega was dressed in soft pyjamas, looking cuter and more like himself than he had done up until now. Bare-faced, his shoulders relaxed and with the lack of cameras around he truly looked at ease.

Chanyeol wanted to ask if he had just returned, but the pyjamas and his messy hair suggested Baekhyun had already spent some time in bed. 

“I- what? Oh,” the alpha finally managed to get some words to leave his mouth, even though they weren’t actually an answer to Baekhyun’s question. 

“I guess I did?” he said then, finally pushing himself up into a seating position, his whole body turning to face the omega, “how was the date? You guys were gone for so long.”

“Hmm,” Baekhyun hummed, “they wanted to film our confession time out there too, so it took a bit more time.” 

He sipped from the glass he had come to get, filled with some type of juice, and then looked away as he continued, “the date was fun, though. The table was set on the beach and they had this entire structure around it with curtains coming down to reach the sand.” 

Baekhyun chuckled as if it was funny, and his smile held stories Chanyeol didn’t know anything about, “there were candles everywhere and so one curtain almost got set on fire. And they actually had this band come in and play and while it happened they played some dramatic film score.” 

While he listened, Chanyeol tried to ignore the pang of jealousy he felt knowing Jongin and Sehun had been there to spend time with this Baekhyun, this gorgeous boy that talked with such happiness in his eyes. Chanyeol realised again how much he had missed him.

“- then Jongin played a game of charades which Sehun and I failed at horribly because he would spend minutes trying to have us guess just one thing and…” Baekhyun trailed off as he realised Chanyeol’s eyes were droopy not because he was tired, but because hearing this upset him. 

Baekhyun could understand why, and so he paused, trying to be quick on his feet and changing the topic without it being too obvious. He let his eyes roam, trying to guess what the alpha had spent his night doing so he could bring up that, and when he found his answer he felt a sense of dread. 

“And you’ve been drinking?” the omega asked, sounding genuine because it was a genuine question. 

Chanyeol had quit drinking some time before Baekhyun had left to become an idol, claiming that being a surgeon required a clear head and that meant no getting drunk. He remembered it vividly because it had drastically changed things between them. 

Alcohol had always been their excuse to end up with lips locked and bodies entwined while they made out sloppily and got each other to come. When Chanyeol stopped drinking, it inevitably stopped their hooking up.

To see Chanyeol here with a glass of something strong was strange, and Baekhyun hoped it wasn’t because of him that the alpha had gone back to drinking. 

“Ah, yeah,” Chanyeol agreed easily, his head moving up and down in a drowsy nod. It was all he offered as an explanation, but Baekhyun wasn’t satisfied.

“I thought you gave that up? Being a surgeon and all, needing your focus?” he asked, the worry now probably showing on his face.

But Chanyeol didn’t even look at him, he only tilted his head back and smiled almost sadly, his words holding the same melancholy, “what can I say? I went through heartbreak and then landed my first job as a surgeon and, well, sometimes it’s just easier to drink than to deal with your thoughts.” 

Baekhyun didn’t know what to say. He wanted to ask if it was a problem, who he meant with heartbreak, along with so many other things. But he didn’t, didn’t want to make this too heavy, and so he asked something completely different. Something that had been nagging at him just the same.

“Did you really try to get in touch with me?” 

This time Chanyeol did look at him, turning his head so he could look into Baekhyun’s questioning eyes. He had heard the hopeful undertone, had picked up on how badly the omega wanted to hear that he had, and his answer was satisfying enough.

“Yes. I did everything, from writing letters to your company to checking in with old friends to see if anyone had your new number. I have ten copies of each of your albums, at least, and I even camped out of this mall once because you were performing, but it’s a tough life being one of your fanboys,” Chanyeol explained.

He was smiling about it, but it was a sad smile, clearly. Because all his hard work hadn’t gotten him anything. Not until now, and now he had to fight a bunch of other alphas to top it off. It wasn’t wrong to feel dejected at times, but Baekhyun didn’t want him to give up now. 

If anything, he needed the alpha to try even harder. To give Baekhyun the reassurance he was so desperately looking for to allow Chanyeol back into his heart. He wanted it, talking to Jongin had made him realise that much. 

Had they told him to pick someone today, he would pick Chanyeol, without a doubt. But Baekhyun knew that picking anyone but Jongin meant actually being bonded, and for that he simply needed more than the warm story of an alpha wanting to move mountains for him.

It would take love, passion and an actual connection. All things he knew he had had with Chanyeol once upon a time. Their time in the house would tell Baekhyun whether he could make the actual choice to jump straight into being bonded to him, or if things were better left in the past. 

He felt hopeful, though. Hopeful enough to take a deep breath and whisper, “hey Yeol?” 

Of course it made the alpha look up, eyes questioning at the mention of his name, and while Baekhyun got up from his seat he used Chanyeol’s arm for support. 

He didn’t stop at that either, leaning in close enough that he could properly smell Chanyeol’s scent, and a whiff of him had Baekhyun unsteady on his feet. It was still as addictive as the first day he had come of age, and how he managed to not give in to all his desires right then was beyond him.

Feeling his mouth go dry, the omega softly pressed his lips to the alpha’s cheek, leaving a chaste kiss on his skin in the hopes of reminding him why he was there and that he hadn’t lost yet. 

When he pulled away, both lips and hand, he whispered a few more words before disappearing back into the night, retreating to his room before he’d end up doing something stupid like giving in to the desire of really kissing him.

He left behind a bewildered Chanyeol, lips parted and eyes wide with sleep long forgotten. A Chanyeol who had regained his spirits and wanted to fight, even harder than before. 

“I’ve missed you. More than you know.”


	16. The punch

The second day was uneventful for the most part, as no challenges were planned. It would be impossible to fill two entire weeks with action only, and it wouldn’t be smart to take Baekhyun’s time to get to know the winning alphas only. 

Which was why the second day was a day for relaxing around the house. A day to ensure they would all get to know one another better. Even the alphas among themselves. As if they were here to make friends.

You’d think that with an entire day to themselves, every alpha would get to spend at least half an hour with the omega. But unfortunately, Chanyeol didn’t see much of Baekhyun that day. 

He was being sucked in by the louder alphas, like Lucas and Jongin, but Chanyeol also felt that the omega was purposely staying away a little. With what reason he couldn’t pinpoint, but he had a feeling that it had to do with the words he had let slip during their little midnight conversation.

Whenever he would approach Baekhyun there would always be something to prevent him from actually reaching him. Either there were too many others around, or he had to leave to discuss something with his manager, or even just to go to the bathroom. 

To Chanyeol they all felt like excuses, and it made him feel a little heavy. He hadn’t even done anything and yet he couldn’t stop the way Baekhyun was trying to avoid him. Why did he have to be punished for the omega’s insecurities? 

Over the day, that was what he had begun to feel: like Baekhyun was running away from his feelings.   
  
You don’t just say you have missed someone and then ignore their entire existence unless you’re in denial over it. It seemed like Baekhyun was very, very much in denial.

It was okay, though, the alpha could deal with denial. He had spent most of his own time around Baekhyun in denial too, but now that he was here he would do anything to ensure he would get to spend time with him. Even if it meant cornering him.

Ironically enough he managed to do so after dinner, in the kitchen, with Baekhyun having gone in for another drink. He was finally alone, leaning against the kitchen island while he poured his juice, back turned to Chanyeol.

The alpha didn’t have to think at all, he simply didn’t want to lose another shot, and so he inched closer until he was right behind the omega. Close enough to breathe, to sniff him if he wanted to, Chanyeol placed his hands on both sides of counter. 

Caging him in without actually touching him, the alpha leaned in a tiny bit closer so he could whisper his words right into the smaller’s ear, “finally I’ve got you alone.” 

Baekhyun jumped so badly that his glass fell over, juice spilling everywhere, and he twisted around so quickly that Chanyeol didn’t have time to prepare himself before he was being slapped in the face. 

The sound of the omega’s hand hitting his cheek was louder than the pain it brought on, but it was heavy enough to make the world around them go absolutely quiet for a few seconds. 

Everything stopped, the world freezing as everyone held their breaths in anticipation, and then it swung back into motion at full force, many things happening at once.

The camera crew was coming closer to grab Chanyeol’s collar and yank him away, Baekhyun was cradling his hand as if he had hurt himself too, his eyes widening with panic. 

Then, he stuttered, “no, stop, it’s okay!” and got the crew to halt their movements.

They had tried to get the alpha away from him after his clear discomfort, and although Chanyeol hated how it was him that was being dragged away, he admired their fast reaction to the situation. 

Pausing with their hands on his shirt, they waited for Baekhyun to explain what he wanted to do. Chanyeol did the same, his eyes cast down in remorse, entire body submissive in apology while he waited. 

He was slightly confused, but only because he hadn’t thought it to be a weird move. He hadn’t even touched the omega, but something had triggered Baekhyun and now they were here, in this uncomfortable place where he didn’t know what to do or say. 

“I-” Baekhyun said, his hand finally coming down again, and the words that followed took Chanyeol by surprise, “get us a place to sit and some ice, please.” 

For a second the crew seemed hesitant, as if they were worried this would be a bad decision, but when they let Chanyeol go and the alpha didn’t move, they figured it should be alright. 

Two of the staff led the alpha away, out the doors leading to the garden, while another helped Baekhyun get the ice he had asked for. Chanyeol assumed it was for his hand, which he looked like he had hurt. 

The cameras stayed on Chanyeol as he sat down on one of the lounge seats, and he wondered how much of this incident they’d show to the viewers. What would they think? Would they hate Chanyeol for this? Would they make him out to be a bad choice?

He shook off all those thoughts all at once. He could care less about the viewers. All that mattered was what Baekhyun thought, and thinking of how he may have made a huge mistake made the alpha choke up. 

“Hey,” his thoughts were interrupted sooner than he had expected, with Baekhyun joining him on the same couch, barely any distance between them. So at least he wasn’t afraid of him... 

The omega was holding the ice pack, a towel wrapped around it, and Chanyeol realised then that he hadn’t asked it for himself when the smaller lifted it up and hesitantly held it out towards the alpha’s face. 

“Can I?” he asked, asking for permission, and of course Chanyeol nodded. 

He wasn’t actually that hurt, it had only been a slap of the palm, not a punch, but Baekhyun worrying about him was something he wasn’t going to stop in any way. And so the ice touched his cheekbone, the cold of it making his blood race through his veins. 

Heaving a sigh, Chanyeol closed his eyes to finally breathe out properly, his body getting rid of the tension in his muscles bit by bit as the danger was now gone. 

Baekhyun stayed quiet until he had opened his eyes again, looking at him to see how he was doing, and the omega worried on his lower lip before he apologized, “I’m sorry, Chanyeol. I didn’t mean to- it was just a reflex.”

“It’s okay,” the alpha replied, his speech slightly slurred from the way half his face was frozen, “I stepped out of line. I shouldn’t have come so close without you knowing I was there.” 

The omega hummed, like he partly agreed with that, but his face told Chanyeol that wasn’t all there was to it. There was something else bothering him about the situation, and so Chanyeol tried to ask for it by calling out his name, “Baek? What happened?” 

Slowly, Baekhyun lowered the hand with the ice pack, letting it fall into his lap. His head dropped too and he stared at his knees as he whispered, almost too quiet to catch, “someone tried to claim me once.” 

Just like that, like it wasn’t huge news and there weren’t any cameras directed at him, Baekhyun opened up and told the story of why he had been so startled by Chanyeol’s presence.

“A fan, if that’s what you could call them, tried to claim me without permission. Coming over to talk to me, being all friendly until I had let my guard down and then-” the omega paused, but he didn’t need to say more. 

Chanyeol grabbed Baekhyun’s free hand and held it between his own as it began to make sense why his action would have shaken up the omega. A sudden surprise from behind him, with arms around him and nowhere to go; it must have triggered the memory. 

Baekhyun had no reason to apologize, but still there he was, telling Chanyeol he was sorry for hitting him and taking care of him because of it. He was an absolute angel.

“Hey,” Chanyeol replied, squeezing the omega’s hand so he’d get back his attention, “listen, you don’t have to explain any more. It’s a good thing you hit me, in fact I think you should have punched me way harder.” 

This made Baekhyun snort and roll with his eyes, and he was even joking when he answered, even though his heart wasn’t in it, “that would be very improper of me to do. I’m the definition of innocence, or so everyone thought up until this moment, at least.” 

“I’m sure that anyone hearing your story will understand and will agree with me when I say: punch me next time,” Chanyeol spoke confidently, knowing that no matter what, everyone would love Baekhyun regardless. 

The omega smiled, and the air became much lighter now that he had gotten this off his chest and both were back on the same page, “are you suggesting you’re going to let it happen again?”

“Well, I do hope to end up with my arms around you so, yeah,” Chanyeol replied, copying the same smile as the two of them looked at each other.

It felt nice, almost as if time had rewinded and they were back to their younger selves. Sitting in one of their rooms, having a drink and talking shit about the future. There was that same kind of ease. 

“Ah, yes, of course,” Baekhyun chuckled, his eyes averting a little shyly. He handed the ice pack to one of the staff to busy himself, and it was sign that there was no need anymore for all of them around. 

Chanyeol watched half of the crew disappear back inside, only three people staying behind. Two that held the camera and microphone, one that directed them. Yet it felt like they were completely alone, because at least there weren’t any other alphas around. 

“Hey Baek?” Chanyeol asked, his eyes on the omega as the smaller turned to him again, “would you mind?”

Baekhyun’s eyes were questioning, his little “hmm?” sounding so cute that Chanyeol almost moved without permission. However, he would never do anything without his omega’s permission ever again. 

“Would you mind if I held you now? For a little while?” Chanyeol asked while he carefully checked Baekhyun’s face for any signs of distress or disapproval. They weren’t there. 

Instead the corners of the smaller’s mouth quivered on a smile, and his hand grabbed a hold of Chanyeol’s wrist so he could lift his arm. Once he had lifted it up high enough, he scooted under it and settled his back against Chanyeol’s chest. 

He came to a stop with the taller’s arm around him, his head resting on Chanyeol’s shoulder, and although the alpha had been the one to ask, Baekhyun had definitely outplayed him with this. 

Chanyeol shifted slightly, having Baekhyun lean into him a little more comfortably. When the smaller actually stayed still like that, the alpha took it a step further and pressed a kiss to his omega’s head. 

Baekhyun didn’t move, didn’t speak any more either. He only grabbed the hand not wrapped around his shoulder and held it in between his own in his lap while an easy silence fell over them. 

In front of them, the camera kept rolling.


	17. The Confrontation

Once Chanyeol returned to his room, hours later, after spending most of his night with an exhausted omega asleep against him, he found another alpha on his bed. 

Jongin sat with his hands folded on his lap, looking relaxed while he was clearly waiting for Chanyeol to return. The sight alarmed him, and he was certain he was about to face some conflict.

When the actor noticed how he had walked into their room, he sat up a little straighter and locked eyes with Chanyeol. There was something hostile in the way his shoulders locked, his entire posture screaming defensive alpha, and that mixed with the look in his eyes told Chanyeol he had been right to expect a fight.

“Why are you on my bed?” he asked calmly, not feeling intimidated at all and definitely not wanting to be the one to start anything. Especially not because he had just spent a good two hours with Baekhyun. 

Apparently that was exactly the reason Jongin was on his bed. “Aren’t you real smooth, mister Park?” the actor replied before he got up, arms crossed as he closed the distance between them, “I’m onto you, though.”

“Onto me?” Chanyeol asked, his eyebrows raising as he felt the need to laugh at how ridiculous Jongin was being. He sounded like he had anything on the man, when that couldn’t at all be possible, “care to elaborate?” 

Jongin was only slightly smaller than Chanyeol, but he tried to get the upper hand by puffing up his chest. “Yes, I’ve looked into every alpha in the house, including you, so don’t think I don’t know why you’re here. You’re just like all the others here, in this for your own gain.”

“Well, that’s rich coming from you,” Chanyeol threw back with a laugh, not backing down from the confrontation, “new and upcoming actor Kim Jongin, how convenient to be on the biggest show of the country with millions of people watching.”

“Yes, but I have a career already. You do not, mister I-promote-my-songs-on-instagram,” Jongin looked real smug confronting Chanyeol about this, like he had figured it all out, and the taller would have laughed had he not felt so tired with the entire situation.

“Oh shoot, you got me now,” he replied, sounding entirely unbothered as he held up his hands in fake surrender, “I’m here to promote my hobby.” The roll of his eyes that accompanied his words didn’t go unnoticed.

“Yeah, roll your eyes at me all you want, but right now I am the only one even close to understanding what Baekhyun is going through, and I will watch out for him because no one else will,” Jongin spat back, showing a whole different side of him. Chanyeol almost believed the softness in his voice. Almost.

“Please, Jongin, you’re nothing but blatant arrogance, a weak little puppy hiding behind the mask of a big bad wolf,” Chanyeol moved closer to the actor, who backed off without even realising he was doing it, “you’re watching out for Baekhyun? Don’t make me laugh.”

“So you think you can do better? You really think you’re a better mate for him than me?” Jongin asked then, but his words had lost the hostility. It was almost kind enough to be an actual, genuine question. 

“I don’t think, I /know/,” Chanyeol threw back casually, “I’ve always known. I’m the only one in the house that knows Baekhyun through and through, and yeah I may have missed some years but it doesn’t matter. I loved the man behind the idol for far longer. None of you feel the way about Baekhyun like I do.”

Jongin stared at him hard, eyes set as he listened to Chanyeol as the man emptied his heart, “to all of you he’s this rare diamond and you’re the crows that want to steal it away. Whereas I- I loved this unclear piece of stone, unrefined at the edges but so perfect even without any grinding. I fell in love with a man none of you will ever get to see.”

“But how do you know that this polished diamond is still the man you fell in love with when they are not the same, far from,” Jongin asked, somehow making a fair point. 

Chanyeol had worried about it, too. Up until now, at least. He had thought that maybe they would have grown apart too much, that fame had changed Baekhyun in one too many ways, but so far that had yet to be proven right. 

The Baekhyun he had seen in private was exactly like the boy he remembered and yes, he was still very different from idol Baekhyun. But it made sense, as it was expected for the omega to have different sides now. Just like a polished diamond, Baekhyun let the light shine on different planes depending on who he was surrounded by. 

Yet when he was with Chanyeol, he was still the same, and that made the alpha so certain of his case. It had taken only two days for him to stop doubting himself. 

“Because before I wasn’t able to see, but now, it’s so clear that I can’t get around it anymore. And thank god for that.”

Jongin narrowed his eyes at him, as if to silently warm him that he didn’t believe him and that he was watching him all the same, but Chanyeol held his ground until the alpha huffed and turned away, finally returning to his own bed to lie down and plug in some earphones. Defeated at last. 

Chanyeol took a deep breath, hoping this would be the end to the madness, because he had had enough for the day. All he wanted now was to get in bed, hide under his blanket and smile at the memory of Baekhyun in his arms. 

And then, to get back in the saddle the morning after, hoping to win the second date that would be on the line.


	18. The Second Challenge

“Alright dear alphas, I hope you spent your second day getting to know our omega a little better, because if you did you might just have the advantage at this game,” Minseok began his task once the cameras had started rolling.

Each alpha was behind a stand that had a tablet built in the top and a screen at the front of it. Obviously the tablet was meant for answers to be written down on, which would then be visible on the screen, and instantly Chanyeol knew they were about to participate in some sort of quiz. 

Baekhyun was across from them seated in a high chair, almost like a director’s chair, and he was facing the alphas with Minseok by his side. 

He looked less nervous today, less intimidated by the alphas now he had spent some time with each of them, and that made Chanyeol feel relieved. He would have worried had that change not happened.

Baekhyun’s eyes had drifted to him when he had taken his place, and they had shared a smile together. Although it had been brief, it had been all the motivation Chanyeol had needed to want to do well. Knowing it was a quiz about Baekhyun, he was sure he would be able to. 

“You will be presented with ten questions regarding Baekhyun’s preferences. We will give you two answers to choose from and it is up to you to pick and write down what you think the omega replied with. The two alphas with the highest scores will get to join our lovely single man on a little boat trip to enjoy the sun and each other’s presence.” 

Minseok was doing a great job at making it sound like this was some kind of game show, as if they were playing ‘the price is right’ instead of a game of hearts. Still, it kept things light and fun, taking away from the seriousness of the prize on the line. 

Behind him, Chanyeol could hear some of the alphas murmur along themselves. Lucas made a tiny jump, like a puppy excited enough to chase its own tail, while Jongin’s cockiness showed once more as he huffed, “easy peasy.” 

He knew it was bait, which was exactly why Chanyeol didn’t bite. He kept his posture straight and pushed his focus back on Minseok, who switched cards and then looked back up at the alphas with the cheekiest smile on his face.

“Now, these questions range from cute and funny, to sexy and serious. There’s a bit of everything in here, so the audience is going to see more than just our angel Byun Baekhyun!” 

Chanyeol felt the corner of his mouth tug as the omega’s cheeks went a little red, his shy side showing as Minseok discussed this, and all ten alphas swooned in the same way. 

“Now, if you’re ready, get out your pens so you can write down your answers. Think hard, you will only get fifteen seconds for each answer,” Minseok ordered, after which ten alphas moved all at once.

Even before the first question came, Chanyeol already felt his heart in his throat with nerves. He should be able to do well here. He had known Baekhyun for the better part of his life, yet he worried maybe certain things had changed. He could only hope he’d know those things or would be able to make smart guesses.

“Alright, first question! A very simple one about the time of year. Ladies and gentlemen: summer or winter?” Minseok asked the first question, after which a ticking sounded, a noise that signalled their time.

Ten heads bent at once, hands moving to write down their answers, and Chanyeol was quick to put in his. He knew this, and he suspected many would go wrong. 

Loads of people preferred the warmth of summer over cold winter days, but Baekhyun loved snow and hiding under big blankets. He loved sitting cuddled up with a hot chocolate, listening to Christmas songs and feeling cozy. The answer had to be winter. 

“Time’s up! Now Baekhyun, let’s see the results while you tell us the answer,” Minseok said, and instantly both of the omega’s eyes went to the screens of the alphas, which must have lit up with their given answers.

“Well, only two people are right on this one. It’s winter,” Baekhyun spoke, giving an almost apologetic smile meant to the other eight. 

“Wow! That means points for Seulgi and Chanyeol, no points for the others. It’s a sad start for such a simple question. Maybe a bit more personal will do it. Your second question: singing or dancing?” 

Again, everyone was quick to answer, and this time it was an overwhelming nine to one win, which made a lot of sense. The only one to get it wrong was the dancer of the bunch, Sehun, who shrugged his shoulders and claimed he had hoped for a surprise.

“Third question then, moving on to a bit more love related stuff… would our sweet alpha prefer an intimate bath, or sweet cuddling?” Minseok wriggled his eyebrows to add to the words, and Chanyeol chuckled as he turned to write down his answer.

It was the first answer he wasn’t sure about. Back in the days they hadn’t had any baths, but they had occasionally shared the shower after a drunken fuck. Baekhyun had always seemed to like those moments, sneaking in some kisses even though they would be way more sober by the time the water hit them. But he also liked cuddling. 

In the end the latter won it, mainly because it was the easier option. Baekhyun was a snuggler, he could very well also be a cuddler. 

“Time for your answers. Baekhyun, tell us which one is correct?” Minseok turned to the omega, who looked a little startled by the results.

“I can’t believe so many of you said cuddling. Do I really look that soft? The answer is an intimate bath. Any time.”

No point for Chanyeol here. Only for Seulgi and Jongin. He had no clue what everyone’s scores were, but it didn’t matter how well others were doing, he just had to keep going.

“Staying in that soft romantic mood, let’s talk pups shall we?” Minseok briefly smiled at Baekhyun and then turned to the alphas, “it might be good for you to know Baekhyun’s thoughts on how many he wants. Maybe your ideas clash… Anyway, does Baekhyun want two, or does he want a large family?” 

The alphas were clearly more in doubt now, most at least, because Chanyeol already knew what to answer. They had talked about this, both as teenagers as well as in their college days, and in all that time Baekhyun’s answer hadn’t changed. 

“Time’s up, let’s see your answers,” Minseok asked, and when they popped up he hummed, “very divided this time around. It’s a difficult question indeed, but Baekhyun, what is your dream for the future?” 

“I-” Baekhyun began, his eyes flitting and then settling on Chanyeol, meeting his gaze, “I want a big family, big enough to start my own football team. I’ve always wanted that.” 

As quick as the omega’s gaze had settled on him, it was lost again. Not wanting to be obvious, but having said enough. Chanyeol knew what was on his mind. 

“So sweet… we’re halfway through now, and we’ve got a top three right now. All of them have answered four out of five correctly. Chanyeol, Seulgi and Jongdae, you’re currently on top in the race for the boat date, but we’re not there yet!” 

Minseok went on with two more innocent questions about the more important factors of a relationship, trust or love, and a question about Baekhyun’s most used emoji. Both of which Chanyeol answered correctly. 

By the time Minseok prepared for the eighth question, Baekhyun’s cheeks were red again, and Chanyeol knew they were about to venture into a whole different category, “this was all fun and games, but now it’s time for some sexy questions. Because what is love without sex?” 

“A goddamn bore,” someone spoke, Jackson apparently, and a soft laughter erupted from the alphas. It only made Baekhyun’s cheek redden more. 

“Exactly, so the final three questions are about that. Ready?” Minseok waited for some sort of acknowledgement, and when he got it, he talked with more excitement as he asked the first question that had led to Baekhyun looking like a tomato next to him. 

“If he had to pick, would Baekhyun only ever have sex in a bed, or only ever have sex in more adventurous places?” 

Some alphas chuckled, some made a thoughtful sound, and Chanyeol was in doubt because this was honestly a difficult question. 

They had done both, because with their hookups being linked to alcohol they more often than not had ended up in some other person’s bathroom. But whenever they had made it to a bed, things would last so much longer, and who wouldn’t settle for that?

More than that, Baekhyun had to be thoughtful of his image too. The entire country would be seeing this, they’d be hearing the same questions and it would heavily alter their ideas of the omega if he were too risky in his answers. 

“Okay, lock in your answers,” Minseok reminded them, and so Chanyeol quickly wrote down three letters and waited. “Quite a few of you went for adventurous, Jongin and Sehun you think Baekhyun isn’t as sweet as we think he is?” 

“Maybe he is, but anyone having to pick should obviously pick the most adventurous one. Life is boring without any challenges,” Jongin exclaimed, sounding super confident like the idol he was. Chanyeol only rolled his eyes.

“Well, I hate to disappoint you there, but Baekhyun didn’t go for that wild life, he picked the bed,” Minseok put the actor in his place, which almost made Chanyeol whoop and turn around to stick out his tongue at the man. Instead he only grinned.

“Great, we’re still seeing Seulgi and Chanyeol in the lead, with Jongdae only one point behind. But not all is lost yet. The next question might be the most important if you want to make sure you stay in the race for the date.” 

All it took were those words, that simple reminder, to make him forget about Jongin and to get his head back in the game. His fingers squeezed around his pen while his mind raced with thoughts, trying to predict the next question.

“Question number nine…” Minseok drew it out, knowing he had them on their toes, “if you get to be the lucky alpha to share the bed with our Baekhyun… where would he be? Under you, or above you? What do you think he prefers? So not you, but Baekhyun.” 

Before Minseok had even finished speaking, Chanyeol had locked in his answer, being a hundred percent positive that he’d be getting this one right. And if he did, he’d be going on that date with Baekhyun. He couldn’t help but smile, feeling ecstatic already.

“Chanyeol sure looks like he knows he’s got it in the bag…” Minseok noticed, calling him out, and Chanyeol shrugged, “alright, let’s see your answers then.”

While the presenter read them out, Chanyeol had already locked eyes with Baekhyun, and he smiled with fondness at the memories playing behind his mind’s eye. Was the omega thinking of the same things?

Of Chanyeol’s hands on his waist or his hips, holding him up and helping him bounce up and down on his cock, legs trembling with strain the longer they went at it. Of the omega’s little moans, lips parted and chest heaving, his perky chest shimmering with sweat. 

Recalling Baekhyun on top of him was one of his favourite things to do, especially whenever he was horny. It was better than having the omega underneath him, passively lying there and taking whatever his alpha had to offer. 

“We’ve got our first winner, ladies and gentleman,” Minseok called out, his voice a little louder than before, which drew back Chanyeol’s attention, “Park Chanyeol, being friends with our omega has definitely paid off. Congratulations, you are the first alpha to join Baekhyun on a date today. Now as for the second, we have a tie between Seulgi and Jongdae, meaning this final question is essential and-”

Chanyeol stopped listening the moment it wasn’t about him anymore. He wanted to turn around and point at Jongin to show him ‘see, I told you’, but he didn’t want to steep so low. This was about Baekhyun, and so Baekhyun was the one he looked at.

He took in the way the omega’s eyes betrayed his happiness, how his mouth fought against showing any emotion, and just that little glimpse was enough to soothe his aching heart some more. 

He hadn’t fucked up the night before. In fact, things seemed even better than before. There was no conflict in those gorgeous brown orbs as they locked with Chanyeol’s. There was only pride. 


	19. The First Date

It wasn’t until the three of them were seated on the luxurious benches on the bow of the boat, glasses of champagne in hand, that Chanyeol was finally able to relax. They had made it, he had made it to the second date. 

On their way to the dock he had been in a car with Seulgi, who had ended up winning the game from Jongdae, while Baekhyun had been taken away in a different car. But now they were all together, the omega in the middle with an alpha on either side of him. 

It was awkward, the silence that dragged on between them, but once their drinks had arrived they had something to keep them distracted. A reason not to be looking at each other. 

Yet Chanyeol kept glancing at the omega whenever he could, sipping from his glass until he got tired of the quiet and decided that someone had to break it. 

“So,” he said, focusing his attention on Seulgi instead of Baekhyun, “you’re into fashion right? What do you think about the fashion of the alphas in the house?”

Seulgi’s gaze met his, and in reply to the question she chuckled, her smile showing she had a lot of opinions on this. Which was great, because it would keep her talking, and that’s exactly what they needed in that moment. 

“There’s some very questionable fashion style out there. Some great styling too, though.” 

Baekhyun looked relieved to find that he didn’t have to be the host of this date, that the alphas wouldn’t just be sitting around looking at him for answers, and he leaned back in his seat a little more as he turned his attention to Seulgi as well.

She was nice, not too serious about the game and needing to win. She was the type of girl that any guy would love to be with, super confident and sexy without even trying. Maybe she’d be a good fit for Baekhyun, but Chanyeol knew the omega was much more into male alphas. 

Still, he’d take the mostly-uninteresting stories about strange customers over having Kim Jongin sitting across from him, any day. 

They spent their dinner like that, talking about ordinary things instead of the game, and it was nice to get a short break from the house while still being around the omega they both desired. 

Baekhyun looked relaxed, a soft smile on his face at all times and his cheeks a little rosy from the alcohol he had consumed. He looked content, his guards down, and Chanyeol couldn’t stop smiling at him because this was the Baekhyun he had missed.

The one he had spent all his teenage years with, who he’d fallen for without realising. Now, more than ever, he felt like everything was right in the world. Them, there, together. Reunited. 

“Seulgi, you’re up first for confession,” one of the camera crew betas told her once dessert had been finished. They meant the part where they’d film their individual reactions to put in the show alongside the regular footage. Like live commentary. 

“Alright,” she answered, scooting out of her seat without any problems and following the member of staff down the stairs, inside the boat. They left Baekhyun and Chanyeol with a chatting camera crew, the lights still on but the camera now off, and once alone, silence set between them.

It wasn’t an uncomfortable silence, not at all. It was just them sitting there, looking out across the water and the setting sun. Chanyeol was very aware though of the body next to his, and he slowly moved a little more into Baekhyun’s space while he thought of something to say.

“I had fun tonight,” he told the omega, head turned back to the sea as he made small talk, “and I’m glad I won. I haven’t seen you this relaxed in so long.”

A chuckle, followed by a languid stretch that either subconsciously or very consciously made Baekhyun lean in a little closer too.

“I’m glad you won, too,” the omega replied, not sounding shy about it at all, and it made Chanyeol turn his head to look at the smaller instead of at the boring sea.

The love of his life was smiling, his eyes radiating the same softness that his mouth did, and after a handful of seconds he met the alpha’s gaze with a certain curiosity. As if he was wondering why Chanyeol could possibly be looking at him like that. 

The alpha took in the shape of his nose, that adorable mole next to his mouth that he so missed kissing, and he sighed quietly before he hummed an evermore quiet, “you’ve changed so much, Baekhyun-ah.”

His words made Baekhyun’s eyes widen, and Chanyeol could see he was about to splutter something along the lines of ‘what do you mean?’ or ‘I have not!’ and so the alpha continued before the smaller could actually say either, “you’re even more beautiful, you’re more confident too, you’re just more. I love it.” 

“Really now? It’s only been a few years since we last saw each other,” Baekhyun chuckled, relieved the alpha hadn’t meant it in a bad way, and Chanyeol smiled along with him.

“I know, but you’ve really grown into an idol and I’m proud of you for that. I’m sure it’s not easy doing what you do, but you do it. You hold yourself like an elevated version of the fourteen-year-old Baekhyun that I knew. A more grown up omega than the one I saw in college. I can’t believe I had to miss you for so long.”

Baekhyun’s stared at him for some time, and while Chanyeol stared back he could see how the omega’s eyes had become a little watery. Then, overwhelmed, he released a choked up sounding exhale and looked away from the taller again. 

It wasn’t hard to tell that the alpha’s words had touched him. 

“I- uh,” the omega stuttered, as if he was trying to confess something but had a hard time doing so, “god, I-” 

Only on the third try did he manage, “I was so in love with you back then. For so long you were my everything and I was too scared to tell you. And then when I got scouted, they brought up this dating clause and I- I knew I had to let you go but it was the hardest thing I had to let go off to accept this career.” 

Chanyeol’s heart ached in his chest at the words, at the way Baekhyun sounded so broken while he spoke about that time, about his decision. He had been in love with Chanyeol, and Chanyeol had been in love with him. Things could have been wonderful, if only they had been more honest with each other. 

So maybe honesty was what they needed most right now.

“I’ve always felt like letting you go was the stupidest thing I could have done in my life,” Chanyeol replied, “but you weren’t mine to hold onto. You didn’t tell me how you felt, I certainly didn’t tell you how I felt, and things weren’t meant to happen back then apparently. But I’m here now, learning to love you again, so maybe you will too.”

He placed a hand on Baekhyun’s knee as he spoke, hoping for the touch to do a better job at offering comfort than his words ever could. He tried to be hopeful, to let the past remain the past and to look at how bright the future could be. 

Baekhyun was quiet for such a long time, it felt endless, and when he opened his mouth he asked a question Chanyeol hadn’t necessarily expected in that moment, “have you loved anyone else? In between?”

Had he loved anyone else? Did Baekhyun not realise what a stupid question that was. Did he not know that in Chanyeol’s heart he held the title ‘love of his life’? Apparently not. 

“No,” the alpha was quick to answer, “I- I mean, there were times where I was lonely and sought the company of omegas, but I never gave them my heart because it was yours. It’s always been yours.”

Baekhyun nodded, as if he couldn’t truly believe that but was trying to. And when he didn’t ask for more, Chanyeol asked for the same in return, “What about you? I know you’ve dated.”

The smaller shook his head, as if to disagree even though it wasn’t a lie, “not even worth mentioning those. Not all were real, and if they were, they were physical. My company was very clear about how I should remain unmated until they decided otherwise.”

The hand on Baekhyun’s knee squeezed, showing how Chanyeol understood, and for a moment they gathered their thoughts in silence. Baekhyun’s confession, Chanyeol’s sweet words… and then they spoke at the same time.

“I’m sorry I never-” Baekhyun began while Chanyeol went, “at least we’re-” 

Both paused at the same time, Chanyeol chuckling while his omega looked away with a shy smile. They were acting like they were young teens in love, with their flustered faces and coy answers, and it felt a little ridiculous.

Unexpectedly, it was Baekhyun who snapped out of it first, as he dropped his hand on top of Chanyeol’s and chuckled, “well, I guess we’re both still idiots, aren’t we?” 

He was looking so sweet with his smile, the warm orange tones of the setting sun lighting up his cheeks, and Chanyeol felt so overwhelmed with the way his heart was beating in that moment that he moved without thinking.

Baekhyun’s eyes sparkled in understanding as Chanyeol inched closer, and the alpha loved it because it meant he was allowed to continue to lean in. His heart was thundering in his chest by now, the anticipation as big as it had been the first time they had done this, but everything was so utterly different now. 

It felt like it took an eternity for them to reach each other, but when Chanyeol’s lips finally touched the omega’s in a tender kiss, he was instantly welcomed. 

Baekhyun’s mouth was demanding from the get-go, luring him in deeper so easily, and Chanyeol desperately wished for everything else to disappear around them. The camera crew, the other alpha on the boat, the entire show they were on. He wanted to end it all and make this last, like he had dreamt of doing for so long. 

With the way Baekhyun was sucking his lower lip into his mouth, making a tiny whining sound in the back of his throat that was way too sexy, Chanyeol managed to forgot all about it. 

He pushed a tiny bit closer, hand inching up to the omega’s thigh to come to rest on his hip as he kissed with all his might. A kiss that was exactly like in the movies. It sealed the deal, imprinted Baekhyun’s name on his heart for the umpteenth time. He was a gone man. 

They broke apart not long after, the awareness of not being alone being part of the reason why, but they didn’t apologize or act like their lips hadn’t locked.

Baekhyun cutely brushed his thumb across his lips to chase the feeling, while Chanyeol cleared his throat and pressed his fingers into the omega’s skin before he retreated his hand. Small, subtle touches to remind them of what had been. 

It hadn’t been much, but it had been another tiny step forward. They seemed to be taking one every day, their love blossoming like a flower, petal by petal. And although it would be hard to go back to the house and go on with this game, Chanyeol would try not to think of any of the other alphas.

Because yes, his omega would be spending time with others, but Chanyeol was miles ahead of them. He had kissed Byun Baekhyun, he had gotten a confession out of him, and the confidence it left him with was enough to power a rocket ready for takeoff. Soon he’d be on the moon, claiming who he knew was meant to be his. 

One small step for the game, but one giant leap for love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, it's been a while. Anyway, two things:
> 
> 1\. I hope to pick up the posting soon as my summer holiday is nearing  
2\. up until then posting might even be a bit slower bc I have a shit ton of meetings and last minute work + I'm writing for Baby Making Fest and am super inspired so until that fades... this work will be updated at a slower pace sorryyyyy


	20. The Fourth Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone. It's been a while, as I was wrapping up the year and finding myself overworked + had way too much inspiration for my BMF entry to cut off that flow.  
BUT now im back to writing for Claim Me too. I really hope to finish it in the next two months, but i've got my work cut out for me. Idk if anyone is even still here to read this work, but if you are then bless you <3  
Anyway this is a long one. Enjoy!

The morning after, Baekhyun woke up feeling incredibly light and happy. He lay staring at his ceiling for some time, thinking about nothing but Chanyeol’s sweet smile and his ever so soft lips, and when the butterflies in his stomach went wild at the memory, he turned over and pressed his face into a pillow.

It was only day four of their two-week stay and yet he already felt like if the game would end right here and now, he’d end up a happily mated omega. 

Because if they had shared a kiss on day three, then what would be waiting for them down the line, days from now? More kisses? Secret touches? A trip to the Boom Boom Room that he had been so certain he would not be using? 

Not being able to give in fully was torture, but Baekhyun knew not to let himself get too carried away with his heart. He had to remember the fact that this was the entertainment industry and there were nine other alphas in the house that required his attention.

The company would not allow him to settle down this early into the game, because who would want to watch a show where alphas battle for his heart, yet he’s given it away on day three? No, he couldn’t put his all in Chanyeol - not just yet. 

With a sigh, Baekhyun pushed himself up, hand coming up to rub at his eyes as a yawn escaped him. Time to get ready for another day of way too many social interactions, of weird challenges and overly cocky alphas trying to impress him. 

But today, as he got up, he thought only of how among the conceited were a few kind and thoughtful alphas too. One of which was his wonderful Chanyeol. 

Knowing that no matter what he’d be put through, he’d get to see his best friend again, would make it all the easier to push through. 

\---

Baekhyun couldn’t believe it, but he ended up being very, very wrong. 

The challenge of day four was one that got him to blush and feel very out of his comfort zone, all because of some embarrassing quotes and the fact that ten pairs of eyes were staring at him expectantly. 

“The game is easy,” Minseok had explained, “on this large panel you can find ten quotes, one for each alpha in the house and in the pool, you will find ten coconuts, each one with a name. You will get five minutes to put as many coconuts next to their fitting quotes. All the ones you get right will join you on today’s date.” 

And that was how Baekhyun had found himself in swimming trunks, diving into the water and climbing back out like his life depended on it, all to grab some stupid coconuts and put them with the strangest quotes. 

‘I have tazed an ex before’ one said, while another claimed, ‘I don’t believe in god, but I believe in ghosts and spirits’. 

More than anything, Baekhyun was annoyed by the hungry gazes he could feel on his body every time he climbed out of the pool, as his trunks and shirt stuck to his skin enough to show the outline of his body. 

They were supposed to look past that in this game, yet most of the alphas seemed to be enjoying the view to a point where their pheromones could be smelled even from the other side of the pool.

The omega decided not to give them any attention while he worked on putting the coconuts in place, not wanting to see who the hungry gazes belonged to, but what reassured him somewhat was that he couldn’t smell Chanyeol among them.

From all ten alphas, his scent was the only one Baekhyun could recognize, and to know his best friend wasn’t trying to impress him in his state of undress was relieving. Perhaps it was only because he had already seen the omega naked plenty of times, but still.

Baekhyun found himself looking for Chanyeol’s coconut whenever he dove in, wanting to put it into place, because he knew with certainty which quote belonged to him. But time was running out, and there were still three coconuts left. 

He had to pick one final one and bring it in, and after a quick glance at all three he decided to just dive in and go for the farthest one. Kicking his legs with all his might, he didn’t even look at the name as he grabbed the thing with both hands. He had to bring it in, no matter the name, so he’d rather not waste time by checking. 

“Ten, nine, eight…” Minseok had started counting down by the time Baekhyun came up and climbed up the little stairs at the end of the pool. He almost slipped, losing his balance, but he caught himself in time and rushed towards the panel to put the last coconut at Chanyeol’s quote, just praying it had his name on it.

“Alright, step away Byun Baekhyun,” Minseok concluded the game, and the omega did as asked and stepped to the side so the host could take over and he could catch his breath.

He was too afraid to stare at the panel, and so he turned his head to look at the group of alphas, hoping to find that one face he so longed to see. 

There were many different expressions to be found in the group of contestants, some faces giving away how Baekhyun had picked the wrong quotes, others carefully composed, but the one he was looking for only held a warmth in his eyes that had nothing to do with the challenge.

Chanyeol looked like he was proud of him, maybe a little captivated by how hard Baekhyun had worked, and even though his smile was barely there, the omega knew how to read it. 

Overwhelmed by the feelings in his chest, he quickly looked away. The last thing he wanted now was for the cameras to catch him grinning like a man in love, which he absolutely was. 

“Now, let’s see how well you did. Eight out of ten were given a home, which sadly means that two of your alphas won’t even get a shot at winning the prize, but even the ones you did pull… they have to be correct, yeah?” 

Baekhyun nodded, turning his gaze to Minseok so he would stop glancing at that tall idiot with the brightest eyes and warmest smile, “I did my very best, so I hope I got at least one right.”

“Of course, I think we can all agree upon that as we saw you diving time and time again,” the smaller replied with a cheeky smile, after which he reached for the first coconut, “now, as for the first quote… You believe the words ‘I have tazed an ex before’ were said by… Jackson.”

The mentioned alpha looked perplexed, as if this was the worst thing he could have been accused of, and right next to him sat a girl with the sneakiest smile that instantly told Baekhyun just how wrong he had been. 

“We’re not starting off that great. This quote wasn’t by Jackson, unfortunately,” Minseok confirmed this, and then he added, “Seulgi, please tell us the story behind your quote.” 

Seulgi moved in her seat, pushing her hands underneath her legs as she smiled, “I know it sounds very awful, I do, but this girl had been stalking me for months because she wouldn’t let me go. I was dating a police officer at that time, and when I heard sounds right outside the house, in the garden, it was his taser that I grabbed for protection. It turned out it was my ex, but by then I had already pressed the button.” 

Baekhyun’s face shrunk up as he thought of the pain of being tazed, and even some of the alphas pulled a face too. The story showed a very different side to the Seulgi he had met on the boat the night before, and Baekhyun wasn’t sure what to think of it.

“Up next then,” Minseok went on once she had told her story, and Baekhyun shifted his attention back to him, “ ‘I don’t have a greatest life failure because I simply haven’t failed’, you believe those words came out of Lucas’s mouth.” 

With a nod of his head, Baekhyun confirmed how he thought that, but he didn’t explain why. He didn’t want to say that he felt like the youngest alpha was also the most arrogant. 

Maybe it was his job, as most people in the modelling industry always ran on a certain overdose of confidence that made them sound super self-centred, but whatever it was, it was reason enough for Baekhyun to assume this was his quote. 

“Lucas, not even the tiniest life failure you can mention?” Minseok asked the alpha, using it as a way to show how Baekhyun had been right on this one. 

“Nope, losing at this game would be my very first, which is why I don’t plan on doing it,” the alpha spoke, making at least three others snort, Chanyeol being one of them. 

However, the maknae of the group wasn’t bothered by it. Baekhyun had to admire how little he cared about the others, how he was truly in this for himself, but still he couldn’t look at the alpha as anything other than a brother he’d want to protect. 

“That’s one alpha joining you for your date. I sure hope for you there will be more to join you,” Minseok joked, teasing at the idea that he didn’t like the alpha’s cockiness either. 

After the laughter died down, their host went back to the panel, reaching for another coconut, “‘I don’t believe in god, but I believe in ghosts and spirits’, you believe that one came from… Yixing. Any specific reason?”

Baekhyun blinked, realising he had been asked a question, “Oh, uh, well. I feel like Yixing has this sort of pure soul. He’s very innocent in his wording, and this just sounded like something that fit his personality?”

He turned his head to look at Yixing, hoping he wouldn’t feel offended by his words, but the guy was smiling the same cute, little smile he always smiled. He looked entirely unbothered, and that didn’t change much even when Minseok confirmed he had been right. 

“I swear I’ve seen a ghost! But I’ll save that story for the date,” the fitness trainer spoke, face going from an adorable pout to a flirty laugh that made him look younger than even Lucas. Baekhyun found himself easily smiling back, too. 

Minseok went on after that, exposing three of his mistakes. Jongdae’s, Taeyeon’s and Sehun’s coconut had all been put in the wrong spots, and although Baekhyun felt bad about being wrong, he didn’t mind how the group of alphas for the date remained small. 

“Up next is the one you ran to put back in place last,” Minseok said eventually, bringing back the omega’s focus, and as the words really registered he felt his heart kick in his chest. This was Chanyeol’s quote, no doubt about it. The question was whether it was his coconut, too. 

“This one’s quite funny, ‘I have an unexplainable hatred for both fireworks as well as cucumbers’. And you believe this was said by…” Minseok’s pause took so long that Baekhyun thought about stepping in and taking the coconut from his hands to finally read the name himself.

“Chanyeol.” 

Upon hearing his name, Baekhyun heaved a sigh of relief, one that was definitely too loud to go unnoticed. Minseok, the little shit that he was, picked up on it, “you sound relieved? Wanted your childhood friend to win the date?” 

The omega felt heat rush to his cheeks, and as the attention was shifted to him, he brought up a hand as he shook his head, “no, that’s not it. I just- I was certain this was Chanyeol’s, but there were still three coconuts left and I had to take a guess which one had his name. I’m just glad I guessed correctly.” 

It sounded like a bad cover up, and Minseok had to have picked up on it, but he didn’t tease Baekhyun with it any more, “well, considering you were already so certain, I don’t have to drag this out. Chanyeol, cucumbers, really?” 

Chanyeol chuckled, Baekhyun could hear him even though he was avoiding eye contact, “yeah, it’s something Baekhyun and I have in common. We both hate cucumber, have done so from a very early age.”

Minseok hummed at the alpha’s explanation, “sounds like a very exciting thing to bond over,” after which he let the alpha be. He must have felt how quiet Baekhyun had gone next to him, even if he didn’t understand the reason why. 

“Two left then, only one of which has a coconut so let’s focus on that one first,” the host went for the final quote, “‘I’m notorious for hooking up with my friends’ sisters’, you think this was said by… Jongin?”

Baekhyun wasn’t entirely sure, but it had been his best guess, and considering none of his other mistakes had been Jongin’s quote, he still had a chance at being right. 

“Jongin? Are you really such a player?” Minseok asked the actor, a slight chuckle to his voice as he watched the alpha cross his arms. 

“Honestly, I’m offended Baekhyun would even think such a thing,” Jongin clicked his tongue in fake-disapproval, “I know I’m handsome and have acquired quite a bit of fame, but I would never use it to go after my friends’ sisters.”

Baekhyun tried to get a fake look of disappointment going, as if he had desperately wanted to be right about Jongin, but in truth it was only because the guy was his scapegoat and he had to keep some sort of connection with him just in case. 

“Yes, Jackson, how could you go after your friends’ sisters?” Minseok asked next, turning the attention to the real alpha behind the quote, and as Jackson began his story as to how he always ended up with a sister, Baekhyun tuned out.

Three alphas would be joining him on today’s date: Lucas, Yixing and Chanyeol. It was a good mix of people, all three of them so different, and Baekhyun felt grateful for the fact that although he got to spend some alone time with the other two as well, Chanyeol was again a part of the winners.

If only he could win every single challenge, then maybe no one would judge the omega for wanting to pick him in the end. 

\---

The date the four of them went on happened to be a dance class. 

After a private dinner in the garden, they shared a tiny van to a venue not too far away from the house, and when they stepped inside the room and found a dancefloor and a mirrored wall, Baekhyun knew they would be doing some dancing. 

On the other side of the room stood four dancers, surrounded by the show’s film crew, and as they walked up to them one stepped forward to welcome them. 

“Good evening Baekhyun, alphas,” the woman smiled at the omega, then turned her eyes on the three men behind him, “welcome to your third date night!” 

“If it wasn’t clear yet, tonight you will be getting an exclusive salsa dance class from myself, and my three friends here will be the partners you will get to practice with,” she went on then, explaining the ins and outs of what they’d be doing. 

Behind Baekhyun, Yixing was clapping his hands together excitedly, although so far he appeared to be the only alpha happy about this. The omega knew Chanyeol sure wasn’t, as he lacked the coordination to dance, and maybe Lucas had the same issues due to his length.

“Of course, as we progress, you will all get a chance to dance with the omega of your dreams, but you all start off with someone that will teach you how to lead. I, in turn, will teach Baekhyun how to follow.”

They all nodded in understanding and followed the dancers to take their places. Baekhyun at the front with their teacher, the three alphas a good distance away to observe them.

The singer’s knowledge of salsa dancing was minimal, but with his extensive background in dancing he didn’t worry too much about picking up the moves. His secret smile, however, was due to Chanyeol. 

He couldn’t wait to see how all three alphas would do with this, but as they took their places and waited for the cameras to be set and music to be played, Baekhyun only glanced at his best friend.

Chanyeol looked nervous, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration even though nothing had happened yet, and he rolled his shoulders in an attempt to warm them up. It was cute to see how even if this wasn’t his thing at all, he still wanted to try, and Baekhyun hoped he’d get to dance with him last so he’d remember it best.

“Alright, let’s get some music going and we will start with the basic first steps of a salsa. This shouldn’t be too difficult, so try to work in some hips when you’ve got it down,” the teacher told the group, right before the music started. 

Everyone took their spots, and Baekhyun stepped up to the woman so he could let her lead him. She helped him place his hand on her shoulder while she put hers on his waist, which was weird because he was taller. 

“Now, the lead begins by stepping forward, meaning the one following steps backwards with that same foot. It’s a play of steps, alternating between going forward and backward.” 

Baekhyun followed the moves easily, finding himself smiling as he got into the music, hips swinging left and right on every step he took. They continued on like that for some time, until all three alphas had it too. 

“Okay, now that we’ve warmed up, we’re going to practice a turn,” the teacher eventually interrupted their practice, dance slowing down so she could explain how to move. 

Baekhyun didn’t dare turn his head as he was used as an example to explain to the others what to do. He didn’t want to see the alpha’s eyes on him, and so he focused as the teacher emphasized, “the J shape is very important for momentum. When you bring your hands up again in that J, the person following knows it as a signal to turn.” 

As he was meant to, Baekhyun turned around himself before facing his teacher again, and she smiled because he had done well, “exactly like that. Now practice it a few times with your partners.” 

They continued to practice a few more moves, including how to switch places and what was called a ‘shanay turn’. It all took about half an hour, and by the end of it Baekhyun felt like he had mastered most of the moves quite well. 

“Let’s have a drink and catch our breaths before we switch partners,” their teacher suggested, ending the practice part of the date, and Baekhyun all but skipped over to where the staff was waiting with drinks.

He felt excited, stupidly so, and as he turned to look at his three alphas he saw matching smiles, although not quite matching in intensity. Yixing by far looked most at home here, but even Lucas and Chanyeol seemed to be enjoying themselves.

They talked to the dancers some, which was nice too. Somehow he was always scared the alphas would all jump on him for a chance to speak to him, but they seemed to know they’d all get their moment soon enough, which was why the omega spent a moment in silence just watching everyone around him. 

“You’re doing quite well,” the teacher eventually joined him, complimenting his dancing skills, and Baekhyun chuckled.

“Thank you, I’m glad you think so, because if I didn’t then I sure picked the wrong profession,” he smiled, turning to her to see how she was watching the three alphas. 

Baekhyun could tell she was an omega too, which was why it was totally understandable she was taking in the alphas as potential mates even if they weren’t there for her. “What about them, though? How are they doing?” he asked her.

She tilted her head to the side, “well, the shortest definitely has the right physique, I take it he’s either a dancer or plays a lot of sports that keep him fit, because he picked it up the easiest. The other two are mostly a mess of limbs, but they try.” 

Baekhyun smiled and looked at Chanyeol, who was laughing at something his dance partner had said, and he hummed in thought, “yeah, I expected that to happen.”

Not long after, they returned to their places, except this time Baekhyun ended up with Lucas in front of him instead of their teacher. 

“Hi, Baek,” the alpha greeted him a tad shyly, which was unlike the Lucas he often saw in the house, but maybe it was linked to the nerves he felt about his dancing. 

“Lucas,” Baekhyun addressed him as he took his place, one hand on the alpha’s shoulder, the other raised to meet Lucas’s. “Please don’t step on my toes,” he joked, trying to laugh, but he only received a soft chuckle in response.

“Music, please!” the teacher announced then, after which a much sexier song than before started playing. 

Baekhyun was very aware of the cameras directed at them, one of them being almost up in their faces, but he tried to ignore them and focus on Lucas instead. Which he definitely had to, or else he might have tripped. 

Lucas wasn’t the greatest leader. His hold was too soft, not warning the omega of when he was going to move, and as a result they had a few almost collisions. It made the alpha’s cheeks flush red, and he tried harder, but it wasn’t all that impressive. 

“I- I’ve never done this before,” the alpha excused his fumbling, “but give me a few days and I’ll be an expert at salsa dancing, I promise.” He talked as if salsa dancing was a make it or break it for Baekhyun, which was a little endearing. 

“It’s okay, it’s about having fun, not being the best,” Baekhyun assured him, hoping it would help relax him some, but it was pretty pointless. Lucas stayed entirely focused on the dance, not even taking the time to talk to the omega some, and Baekhyun wondered what it would be like to have Lucas as a mate.

If he’d want to be the best at everything he did, trying too hard to become the perfect mate while acting a little too overconfident. This date was pretty much all that Baekhyun needed to conclude that they were not a match romantically. 

Lucas was like the adorable freshman asking a senior to the dance, wearing his father’s suit and tie because he didn’t have anything else. His attempts at coming across as a suitable partner didn’t quite hit the mark, but he wouldn’t give up, that was certain. 

“Time to switch partners!” the teacher yelled eventually, after ten minutes of torture had passed. Lucas couldn’t help it, Baekhyun knew that, but he was relieved when he could stop thinking about where to put his feet as to not be stepped on. 

As he turned away from the alpha, the next was waiting for him already. 

Yixing’s eyes showed his enthusiasm, and as he held up his arms for Baekhyun to slip into, the omega found himself getting excited too. The spark ignited in his gut and surged through his veins until his entire body was wound up with it. 

“I never thought I’d one day end up dancing with the prettiest omega in the country, and that only because he guessed my stupid quote correctly,” was the first thing the alpha told him as they began with the basic back and forth steps.

Baekhyun found himself smiling, liking how easily Yixing could make fun of himself. He felt flustered due to the compliment as well, even though it was far from the first time anyone had told him so. 

There was something about Yixing’s innocence that got Baekhyun to feel like a blushing virgin again, and it was unexpectedly nice. The alpha was one of the few, along with Chanyeol, who gave Baekhyun the space to be himself, and that was exactly the type of guy he was looking for. 

“I must say I am impressed, clearly there’s more than raising dumbbells that you do,” Baekhyun returned, voice just as flirty as Yixing’s. It was easy, came as naturally as breathing, and the omega liked how content he felt. 

Before Yixing turned him, his touch demanding enough to warn Baekhyun that he was about to do it, the alpha lifted their hands to his mouth and kissed his knuckles. 

Baekhyun spun right after he painted the ‘J’ in the air, feeling high on the same kind of endorphins he felt when he was on stage, and when he turned back he laughed, hand finding Yixing’s again so easily. 

The fact that the omega was enjoying himself made the alpha even bolder, tugging Baekhyun just that bit closer to him that got this from friendly dancing to something a bit more suggestive. 

Their thighs pressed together, Yixing’s hand slipping just a bit farther down his back, and the omega found it hard to breathe as suddenly the room was ten degrees hotter. 

No one stopped them, though. No one told them they were dancing too closely together to be appropriate, and Baekhyun didn’t want to push him away either. He was having fun, why should he? 

He let himself become breathless, twirling an uncountable amount of times until he was absolutely dizzy, and when the music came to an end, Yixing finished off by dipping the omega as if it was nothing. 

It wasn’t a dip and kiss, like he’d always seen in the movies, but the move still caught him by surprise. So much that once he was upright again, he didn’t even know what to say. 

Yixing didn’t ask him to speak at all, though, he only bowed to his partner, as if to thank him for their dance, and then he stepped away so they could make the final switch of the night. 

Finally, with hot cheeks and a satisfied smile, Baekhyun walked up to his final dance partner: Chanyeol.

His best friend was waiting for him, chin held high as he had his arms outstretched for Baekhyun. He looked nervous, even more so now than he had before, and the omega wondered if it had anything to do with the fact that Baekhyun had just been dancing with Yixing, who knew all of the moves. 

Baekhyun’s smile softened as he stepped closer, letting himself register every move they took from the curling of his fingers around Chanyeol’s, to the hand sliding around his waist. 

Chanyeol’s hand felt somehow warmer than the others had done, and the way it pressed to his back made his skin feel like it was on fire. 

“Hey,” the alpha whispered, his head bent slightly so he’d be more at Baekhyun’s level, and the omega found himself feeling entirely enraptured by the taller once again. 

The memory of Yixing’s thigh pressed to his faded easily, making place for the feeling of a big but gentle hand holding his own, “hey, you.” 

Hearing Baekhyun’s voice helped the alpha to feel a bit more at ease, as he slowly took the first step to lead the omega into their dance. Surprisingly, he wasn’t as clumsy as Lucas had been, but Baekhyun could tell instantly that the taller’s thoughts were mostly on getting the steps right. 

It wasn’t hard to see he wanted to impress, and that he was frustrated now that Yixing had been doing so well. The worry that he’d be a disappointment after the other alpha was clear as day in the taller’s eyes, and Baekhyun squeezed his fingers to bring him out of his thoughts. 

They settled on a slow back and forth step, the easiest move out of the ones they had been taught, as Baekhyun recalled, “do you remember our prom in senior year? When we decided to be each other’s dates and we even danced together?” 

Chanyeol’s eyes flickered with recognition, and a soft smile appeared on his lips at the memory before he chuckled quietly “I do. You were wearing a suit two sizes too big because nothing else fit your shoulders, and I was as bad at dancing then as I am now.” 

Baekhyun shrugged, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth, “but we had fun, remember? It was never about the dance, it was about making memories, and for me that one sticks out still.” 

When Chanyeol looked at him with questioning eyes, asking him ‘why?’, the omega turned down his gaze to their feet. He remembered it clearly because it was the first time he had thought how one day his best friend would be dancing with his mate like that. 

His strong hands would hold his omega close to him, and he’d stare at them with the most loving eyes, and at those thoughts, Baekhyun had felt a jealousy he hadn’t been able to place. 

“The way you held my hands, as if I was something precious, it made me think of how one day you’d be the perfect mate to someone. Bad dance moves or not, that was all I was thinking, and it took me some time to come to the realization that I wanted that person to be me.” 

Chanyeol’s feet faltered, and he looked at Baekhyun as if he wanted to kiss him again. The omega understood, because since the night before, not much else had been on his mind. Yet this wasn’t the right place and time, and so he looked away again.

“I- uh, I think you improved some since senior year, yeol-ah,” he said then, hoping his words were enough, and judging by the way Chanyeol squeezed him a little tighter, they were. 

“I think you grew too,” the alpha replied, “although with your job that doesn’t surprise me.” He laughed quietly, and Baekhyun laughed along. 

It was a nice way to end the date, with a strange sort of salsa that stupidly fit their style. Chanyeol even went as far as to twirl him, even though it was a little awkward because he forgot to move his arm up for Baekhyun to go under, and they ended up laughing more than anything. By the time the music stopped Baekhyun felt almost too sad to let go. 

“Okay, give yourselves a round of applause,” the teacher told them, after which everyone collectively clapped their hands together, “you all did so well, but now it’s time to end our class.” 

Soon after the film crew cut the takes and started clearing out the space. Baekhyun and the alphas were led to an adjoined room by one of the staff members, where they found some couches and a table filled with drinks and food. 

“Dumplings!” Lucas yelled as he rushed over first, clearly hungry after their workout, while the others just made their way to a seat. 

It was a little strange to be sitting there with all three alphas at once now that he had already spent some time alone with each of them, which was why Baekhyun appreciated how they talked to each other instead of considering this the time to try and impress him more. 

Lucas, who he had worried about most, was completely taken by all the food, which left him least involved in the conversation. Chanyeol and Yixing found themselves discussing the music that had been used in their class, and Baekhyun simply sat watching all three of them. 

After the horror of diving into a pool what felt like a million times, this wasn’t such a bad ending to his day. He felt content, ready to return to the house and go to bed in the hopes that tomorrow would be just as nice.


	21. The Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A kiss???? What kiss?!?!?!

a/n: sorry updating is so slow but I've got every day planned out! I'm not giving up on it, I just don't get to update too often oop-

[Baekhyun's pov] 

Day five brought a relaxed day ending with a party for the entire house. There was a special DJ, lights to set the mood, omega dancers in every corner, and a whole lot of alcohol. 

Baekhyun felt nervous the moment he entered the room filled with excited alphas, their pheromones overwhelming in a way that would only get worse over the course of the night as they’d get drunk, and perhaps a little horny. 

With there basically being no limits on the amount of liquor, plus all the temptations spread around the house, Baekhyun wondered what the night had in store for them. Whether any alphas would end up giving in to the omega dancers, or whether anyone would come to him. It sure was meant to be interesting, that much he could tell. 

“Baekhyun!” Lucas spotted him first, running over with a beer in hand, “would you like me to get you a drink? Sit with me for a little, would you?” 

Before he could even reply, the alpha had darted off already, leaving Baekhyun to stand there all by himself. The omega brushed it off, deciding to sit down and take in everything around him instead.

There were a handful of alphas at the pool, dressed in trunks or even smaller speedos that left nothing to the imagination. Baekhyun could make out Jackson and Jongin, and what looked like Seulgi in a skimpy bikini. It appeared as if they were holding a contest as to who could make the biggest splash, and they were all laughing and having fun. 

On the scattered around seats on the porch, overlooking the pool, he saw Chanyeol and Jongdae. One was bent over a guitar while the other was singing his heart out, eyes closed and head tilted to the side as he fully committed. 

The rest of the alphas were still inside, talking to each other and downing their drinks as they moved to the music. Things were really just getting started, and Baekhyun wanted to join them now they were still sober, but he was too afraid they’d all focus their attention on him, and so he stayed put. 

“Here you go,” Lucas had returned. He flopped down next to the omega and offered him a beer, the one drink Baekhyun couldn’t really stand, but he didn’t tell him that. 

“Thank you,” Baekhyun said before he took a tiny sip just to feel the alcohol on his tongue, hoping it would take away some of the tenseness he could feel in his shoulders, but it only got worse as the alpha began to talk. 

“I wanted to say that about last night… I really do know how to dance, but I wanted to act like I didn’t so you could kind of lead me and, hopefully, you thought it was a bit adorable to see me like that,” Lucas offered, sounding like he was trying way too hard to impress. 

The omega sighed, desperately downing more beer as he didn’t know what else to do with himself. He knew the smart thing was probably to laugh it off, but they were in this house to be honest with each other. The last thing he should be doing was leading Lucas on, having him think that he was in any way flattered by him.

“Look, it’s okay not to be good at everything, you know?” Baekhyun uttered, sounding slightly irritated even though he didn’t want to be, “it’s not like I’m perfect at everything, I wouldn’t want a mate that is. Just… cut yourself some slack, Lucas.” 

One glance at the younger as he stayed quiet told Baekhyun how his words had hit home. The alpha looked upset, his eyes big like a puppy’s and slightly wet with unshed tears, and although the omega felt sad for him, he didn’t want to lie any longer. 

“I- the way you’re trying too hard is only making me like you less, so please, if you still want a shot at being with me then show me the real you, because this overly cocky version you’re showing now isn’t doing anything for me, at all.” 

With an apologetic smile, he stood up and left the struck alpha alone to think. Baekhyun all but ran away from it, circling the couch and putting his beer on a tray before opting for something stronger instead. 

Then, desperately needing some fresh air, he walked outside through the garden doors, onto the patio. He could hear Jongdae’s voice even before he had stepped foot outside, and any worries about Lucas were replaced with admiration for the alpha’s voice. 

Jongdae’s voice carried around the garden, and the man hit high note after high note as if it was nothing. Baekhyun could do with a vocal lesson or two from him, he was sure he’d end up learning a lot of things from him. 

If there was one thing he hoped to achieve with this show, it was to give some of these alphas a podium for their incredible talents. Jongdae, but Taeyeon too, deserved their own audience and a shot at becoming artists alongside Baekhyun. How he’d love to share a stage with them.

Leaving the two alphas in their little bubble of music, Baekhyun passed them by on his way to the pool. He made sure not to get too close to the ones splashing around in the water, and he sat down on the edge at the other side, feet dangling in the water. 

The hem of his shorts got wet instantly, but he didn’t care as he leaned back and sipped his drink, feeling content just watching the alphas that were much bolder than him doing their thing. 

“Hi, mind if I join you?” A voice interrupted his train of thought, and as the omega tipped his head back to look up at where it had come from, he took in Yixing’s face upside down. 

A small smile appeared on his face, his mind immediately back to their date the night before, and he genuinely liked how the alpha was so polite as to ask him permission to sit with him. 

“Sure,” Baekhyun agreed, sitting up straight again while he waited for the alpha to join him.

Yixing sat down next to him, quite closely, as their thighs touched whenever either of them moved, but the omega didn’t create more space between them. It was nice to sit like this, to feel a small rush of excitement as he wondered what the alpha wanted from him. 

“I’m sorry if this makes you uncomfortable,” Yixing cleared his throat, his eyes kind and soft as he turned them on Baekhyun, “but I can’t stop thinking about what it felt like to dance with you. I just want to do it again and again, forgetting space and time.” 

Baekhyun smiled, feeling his heart skip at the sudden confession, and he chuckled as he bumped his shoulder into the alpha’s, trying to keep it light, “it doesn’t make me uncomfortable. In fact, I feel flattered. I’m hardly the best dancer in the industry, yet you made me feel like I was great.” 

Yixing hummed in answer, the fingers on his knee spreading in such a way that his pinky rested against Baekhyun’s, “well you are. There’s this style that I’m sure you’re absolutely fantastic at, but I doubt you’ve ever danced with anyone like that.” 

Cocking an eyebrow, the omega found himself growing curious, his body leaning into Yixing’s more as his voice turned flirty, smile to match, “really? And what style is that?” 

The alpha’s eyes darted to Baekhyun’s lips, the omega noticed it, but Yixing didn’t act on it. They lifted back up to stare into Baekhyun’s as he asked, very blatantly, “have you ever seen the movie Dirty Dancing?”

He had. He’d seen it multiple times, always blushing through the very intimate scenes where they’d dance with zero space between their bodies, letting go like no one was watching. Was that what Yixing was talking about? Or did he mean the ballroom dancing? 

“I have,” he replied, wanting to hear more from the alpha to find out what he meant, but Yixing only grinned in answer at first. 

He shrugged his shoulders, lower lip disappearing between his teeth for a moment before he released it again, words spoken with cheekiness, “then you know exactly what I’m talking about.” 

Baekhyun had always thought Yixing to be innocent, like a big confused baby that didn’t understand half of the things going on around him. He had found him endearing, but now he saw how underneath that layer there was a sexiness that the alpha knew just how to use whenever the situation called for it. 

The omega felt his cheeks go red, and he cleared his throat as he turned his gaze away, to the water, where other alphas were jumping in side by side now, unaware of what was happening between the two on the other end of the pool. 

“Ah, well, I think dancing will have to wait for some time, though, because I strained a muscle in my neck yesterday when Chanyeol forgot to lift his arm for my turn,” Baekhyun mumbled something which was only half true. 

Because yes, his muscle hurt, but he could still dance if he wanted to. He had danced with worse injuries. 

“You did? Why didn’t you say so sooner?” Yixing lifted his legs out of the water and got to his feet instantly, making Baekhyun anxious as to why he was getting up so suddenly. 

However, the alpha didn’t stray far. He only settled down behind the omega, sitting on his knees with his hands on the smaller’s shoulders, “I work at a gym, I know how to massage sore muscles. Will you let me take care of it?” 

Baekhyun’s blush extended from his cheeks all the way down to his neck and his ears. The hands on his shoulders felt warm and heavy, and the omega couldn’t stop himself from nodding his head even if he wanted to. 

With a small laugh, Yixing’s hold tightened, both of his hands kneading the space between Baekhyun’s neck and shoulders to get him warm. His thumbs were pushing in all the right places, finding every knot there was, and the omega’s jaw went slack as his eyes closed. 

He allowed the alpha’s hands to relax him, and as he felt so comfortable he hardly noticed how strong Yixing’s pheromones were in the air. He also hardly noticed the tiny little moans that were leaving his mouth, all due to the wonderful feeling of hands on his back. 

The alpha laughed once he finished, his hands squeezing Baekhyun’s upper arms before he sat down next to the omega again. 

Slowly, the fog lifted and Baekhyun found himself blushing terribly for having behaved so senselessly. He couldn’t help it, but it was a tad embarrassing, especially because Yixing was smiling as if he had never heard anything better.

“I- you’re a wonderful masseur, honestly,” Baekhyun complimented the alpha as he placed the back of his hand against a cheek to get the heat to go, but it was pointless. 

Yixing only watched him, smile still etched on his face, and when the omega stopped trying to get his flush to go down the alpha professed, “you’re absolutely stunning, Byun Baekhyun.” 

This only got the omega flustered more, but rather than him turning his gaze down, he looked up at Yixing with his heart in his throat. It was beating an insane rhythm due to the eyes on him, and he hated how it felt as if he had been dropped in a kdrama. 

“I really want to kiss you right now,” Yixing whispered, his voice softer and his eyes again dropping to Baekhyun’s lips, but this time it’s where they stayed. 

At the lack of reply, the alpha began leaning in ever so slowly, making sure he wouldn’t catch Baekhyun by surprise, and although the omega sat frozen, he didn’t feel anxious as Yixing tipped his head that final bit and pressed their lips together. 

The kiss was soft, absolutely delicate and tentative and everything a first kiss should be. Yixing was cautious, waiting for Baekhyun’s lips to move against his own before he deepened their kiss, one hand coming up to cradle the omega’s jaw in his hand. 

Baekhyun closed his eyes, allowing it to happen, even if through the kiss he couldn’t help but compare it to Chanyeol’s lips on his. This kiss was gentle, like a warm hug, when Chanyeol’s had been a flame setting fire to his heart. They were different in every aspect, but still Yixing’s mouth on his felt nice. 

The alpha treated him with such care, holding him while he kissed his affection into the omega’s mouth, and as it settled in the smaller’s chest he realised how unfair this entire game was to everyone involved.

He’d kissed Chanyeol, he’d kissed Yixing, and both would have expectations due to it. But he could only pick one, and although his heart had sworn it had decided already, he tried to fight it with all his might. 

Because if he enjoyed being kissed by Yixing, if he felt no shame in it, then could he truly say all of him belonged to Chanyeol? Could he ever say he truly belonged to anyone completely? Baekhyun didn’t know.

\---

[Chanyeol's pov]

Like an arrow shot right in his chest, piercing his heart and making blood fill his lungs, his stomach, flooding his entire body. That’s what it felt like to watch Baekhyun kissing someone else. 

Chanyeol had been so focused on his guitar that he hadn’t noticed anything that had been going on, not until Jongdae had stopped his singing and had whispered to Chanyeol, hand on the taller’s arm, “oh my god, look at that.” 

He had meant the two shy men that sat on the edge of the pool, bodies leaning close and warm smiles on their faces growing closer and closer to one another. 

Chanyeol had looked at them right as Yixing had cupped Baekhyun’s cheek and had kissed him, clearly with permission from the smaller, as he kissed right back with closed eyes and a hand on the alpha’s knee. 

His heart ached instantly, his fingers strumming an empty chord on the guitar that sounded as hollow as his chest felt, and even though it was torturous he continued to stare at them until the two parted again.

The way Baekhyun laughed at Yixing made him feel sick, his limbs heavy like lead, and that’s when he broke. He dropped the guitar a little too loudly as he stood up, making Jongdae jump, but Chanyeol didn’t stop to apologize as he turned and left the garden.

He rushed inside, past all the other alphas that were dancing with pretty little omegas, to his room. There was no one there, it was just him that had left the party, and he growled loudly as he threw open his door. 

His fist connected with the wood, his knuckles instantly throbbing, but he couldn’t properly feel it under the anger that kept him running. His heart was racing, and it felt as if something was clawing at the insides of his skin, wanting to come out. 

His wolf was howling, hating the idea of his love being with someone else, and it tore him apart completely without him being able to do anything about it at all. 

Sitting still didn’t help, he figured that out soon enough, and so Chanyeol paced around the room, nose flaring on every breath he took as he felt the anger slowly consume him. 

He wasn’t mad at Baekhyun, not really, although it did hurt to see him kiss someone else so easily. No, he was mad at himself, for not having kept his eyes open, for thinking he had won when clearly he hadn’t.  He was only mad at Baekhyun for having given him the idea that he was wanted, more than the others, when clearly everyone was still game to him.

It was his own fault for having let the omega slip away all those years ago. But seeing pictures in the news of Baekhyun with a lover, that had been very different to seeing it in real life. 

Because those relationships had all been before Chanyeol had confessed, before he had pressed his lips to Baekhyun’s in a promise to never let him go again. Now, after all of that, it was a million times worse.

“Woah, holy sh-” Jongin almost cursed as he reached their room, spotting the indent Chanyeol’s balled fist had left in their door when he had punched it. His eyes were wide in shock as he stared at Chanyeol, confusion clear in his face, but the taller didn’t speak.

He kept pacing, hoping Jongin would leave before he’d lose his patience and start an actual fight. Fighting wasn’t allowed, he knew that much, and he’d be kicked off the show before he could even begin to explain why he had wanted to rip Jongin’s hair out. 

“Okay, calm down, man,” Jongin noticed his heavy breathing, the absolute fury in his eyes, and he held up his hands before he walked around the alpha to get to the bathroom. 

Once he had grabbed a towel, he reappeared, and he spoke to Chanyeol as if he no longer feared him now he had something to dry himself off with, “okay, so is this because Baekhyun and Yixing kissed?” 

Surprisingly, there was no ridiculing hint to his voice, the way Chanyeol would have expected there to be. Jongin loved teasing him after all, showing the taller how he was above him in any way he could, but not right now. 

“I’ll take that as a yes,” the smaller hummed when Chanyeol didn’t reply, and what followed next was a piece of advice, “look, I wouldn’t take it too seriously. People kiss, right? It’s just a part of the game. In fact, I think he should kiss everyone in the house. What if you end up picking someone who is an awful kisser? That would absolutely suck.”

Chanyeol hated how Jongin made sense, because he did. At least, he would have, hadn’t there been any history between Chanyeol and Baekhyun to complicate things. If Baekhyun hadn’t known his heart, he would have completely understood, but he knew how Chanyeol felt and had played with that regardless.

“You don’t understand,” he threw at Jongin, shaking his head while he did, “how could you? You haven’t been in love with him for years. But, imagine you’ve been given the tiniest bit of hope, and you cling on to it only to see him kiss someone else like it meant nothing.” 

Jongin went quiet, face composed as he tried to read Chanyeol, and the alpha went completely mad again once he had said the words out loud. He pulled at his hair, laughing maniacally at the realization, “fuck, it meant nothing.”

Finally the alpha came to a stop, flopping down on his bed and dropping his face in his hands. He didn’t even care that Jongin got to see him like this, he wasn’t strong enough to hide the fact that he was crumbling any longer. 

He sat like that for a moment, trying to catch his breath and let go of the anger, and by the time he felt calm enough again to apologize to Jongin, he found the alpha was already gone.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have-” he began, only to stop as he realized the room was empty. 

Sighing, the alpha let himself fall back on the bed. He hated the turmoil that was still making his heart clench painfully, and he threw a hand over his eyes to shield himself from view as the tears finally made it to his face. 

He didn’t want the cameras to catch this, didn’t want the people at home to see him fall apart so easily, but how good was he at hiding his emotions? He’d always been an open book, had always been too soft-hearted, and it came to bite him in the ass once again. 

Baekhyun was probably thinking he was a fool for thinking that he had decided on Chanyeol on day five of the game, and the alpha could only punish himself for having thought it to begin with. five days were hardly enough to lose your heart. But then why had he lost his all over again? 

He remained on his back like that for some time, trying not to give up on everything as an overreaction to what was happening, but once he pulled his arm away and opened his eyes, he found he was no longer alone. 

Baekhyun was leaning against the wall of his room, hands folded behind himself and eyes on the alpha until their gazes locked, which was when he hastily looked away. 

Chanyeol was surprised to find him there, and he sat up slowly while he asked the omega, “what are you doing here?” 

With a shrug, Baekhyun pushed himself off the wall, and he briefly looked at the door, at the imprint in it, before he walked up to Chanyeol’s bed and sat on the edge of it, “heard you were throwing a fit in your room.” 

Chanyeol scuffed, realizing that had to have been Jongin’s doing, but he wasn’t surprised the alpha had made fun of him in front of everyone else. He was surprised, however, that Baekhyun had taken the time to come see him. 

The omega didn’t say anything else as he sat, patiently looking at Chanyeol as the alpha tried to find the words to explain, but he couldn’t speak without looking away from him, the memory too painful to be this close to the omega.

“I saw you and Yixing,” he told Baekhyun, even though that would probably not have come as a surprise, “and I felt an anger I have never felt before, which was exactly why I had to get out of there. Before I would have come over and punched Yixing in the face.”

“Chanyeol…” Baekhyun’s voice was soft and apologetic, what for the alpha couldn’t immediately place, but then his omega continued, “I- this is still a game. You can’t just get mad because I talk to other alphas to give them a shot.” 

The alpha huffed, feeling an annoying displeasure rile him up again, “talk? You call that talking? And that after he basically rode your thigh last night?”

Baekhyun seemed surprised to find that Chanyeol knew this much, when he should know by now that the alpha only had eyes for him. 

“Still,” he threw back, the argument not adding anything for him, “I don’t know what you expected, but you can’t expect me to not be around them. Some sweet words and a kiss won’t suddenly make me yours.”

It hurt to hear Baekhyun say those words, especially because Chanyeol had been his for years. What else could he do to show the omega how much he loved him? What else could he do to make Baekhyun feel absolutely certain about him?

“I get it,” he scoffed, hands balling into fists in his lap, “you think my being upset isn’t valid, which is fine, but it won’t change anything. It won’t change the fact that I  _ want  _ you for myself, that I will do anything to be with you.” 

Baekhyun’s mouth opened, but nothing came out, and Chanyeol ranted on, “you can tell me it’s wrong to hate seeing you with someone else, but it isn’t. Doesn’t it show how serious I am about you? Isn’t it better for me to hide away when I feel like this instead of acting like a possessive piece of shit? What do you want me to do, Baek?”

The omega went quiet, Chanyeol watched him swallow and turn into a much softer version of himself than the one that had told the alpha to get over it. 

“Am I not allowed to have expectations? To hope for more? Tell me, who am I hurting by dreaming of a future with you?” Chanyeol finally reasoned, which finally sparked a reaction from the smaller.

“It’s hurting me!” Baekhyun retorted, voice raised, “it’s hurting me, because I can’t see you in pain and I- I can’t promise I will pick you, Chanyeol. Even though you own a piece of my heart, I cannot make that promise. Maybe it was a mistake to kiss you back, maybe I shouldn’t have, because now-”

A new flash of anger got Chanyeol to lean in, grabbing a hold of Baekhyun’s face as he pulled him closer to him. How could he be calling them a mistake? Chanyeol wouldn’t let him, absolutely not.

He kissed the omega with all his might, pouring in everything his heart was burning with, and after a few seconds in which the smaller muffled his words against the alpha’s lips, Baekhyun stopped struggling against it.

The kiss was much more dire than it had been two nights before, and within seconds Baekhyun found himself in Chanyeol’s lap. How he got there he didn’t know, but he sat with his knees on either side of the alpha, the taller’s large hands holding him closer at his back.

They kissed, mouths parted as they got drunk on each other and the lingering alcohol on their tongues. It was wild and needy and proved the exact opposite of their words earlier, which was all Chanyeol needed to know things weren’t hopeless.

Even though Baekhyun broke their kiss not too long after, pushing himself away from the alpha with a startle, Chanyeol held him tightly in his arms as he tried to flee. 

“Tell me again,” the alpha begged, wanting an answer before he let go, “if this was really a mistake. Tell me, Baekhyun.” 

“I-” the omega stuttered, wiping at his mouth as he climbed off Chanyeol’s lap in a rush. He looked dishevelled and confused, which was all the answer the alpha needed to know he affected Baekhyun as much as the omega did him. 

“It doesn’t change anything,” the smaller uttered as he backed away, almost stumbling into the wall as he did, “I’m sorry, Yeol.” 

He turned then, running out of the room as if it was on fire, leaving behind a conflicted alpha torn up between being hopeful and losing every ounce of strength he had left in him. 


	22. The Boom Boom Room

Things became tense in the house on day 6. 

Baekhyun was quiet, head filled with thoughts of the mess he had found himself in. Whenever he lost focus he found himself thinking back to his kiss with Yixing and his kiss with Chanyeol right after. 

Thankfully neither alphas had won that day’s date, which gave Baekhyun a little time to get his shit together. 

Instead he sat with Jongin and Joongi, who were having a conversation about how to portray mental health issues through acting, and Jongin kept sending him worried glances once in a while as if he could tell why Baekhyun was lost in thought.

That day, during lunch, Chanyeol hadn’t said much at all. He had kept his eyes on Baekhyun, as if he was waiting for the other shoe to drop after their talk the night before, but neither ended up mentioning anything about it at all. 

Yixing had been very different from him. His smile had been wide and he had reached for Baekhyun’s hand, trying to get him to smile too. His relationship with the man was uncomplicated, but it also lacked all the depth he had with Chanyeol, which was strange. 

In the end, Baekhyun felt like he had ruined things with both of them, and he was freaking out a little as he didn’t know what to do about it.

As he watched Joongi, he briefly entertained the idea of asking him for advice, but then he remembered how there were cameras on them still, and Joongi was supposed to be one of the contestants. 

He spent their date mostly zoning out, staring out at the beautiful beach view they had from the restaurant. The sun was setting, and he wished for the warmth of a pair of arms around him. But which ones would keep him warm longer? 

“Baekhyun?” Jongin called, apparently having said his name multiple times already, because as he finally looked up everyone was staring at him, both alphas and crew, “are you ready to get back to the house?” 

After blinking himself awake, the omega nodded briefly before he pushed himself out of his seat. The staff had already started packing up their gear, and once the three reached the entrance to the restaurant, a car was already waiting for them. 

Baekhyun got in first, and it wasn’t until both alphas had strapped themselves in and the car had sped off that he cleared his throat to apologize to them, “I’m sorry, I haven’t been a good date today. I just- there’s a lot on my mind.” 

Surprisingly, it was Joongi that answered him. He hummed, a tender smile on his mouth, “that’s okay. I don’t live under the pretence that I’ll end up as your mate, I’m just enjoying the rest of this ride with the rest of the house.” 

Baekhyun felt a blush creep up to his face, his gaze turned away in apology, but the alpha didn’t seem upset by it. Maybe he too had found they weren’t such a great match. 

“Still, I should have been a better host,” he mumbled under his breath, after which Jongin leaned in to put a hand on his knee, an attempt to bring comfort.

“Don’t be like that, we all have our off days, and we can’t expect this to be easy on you. We understand, Baek,” the actor said, voice sweet. 

The omega hummed, but he kept bouncing his leg up and down the entire ride, even once Jongin placed his palm on top to help calm him down.

Once they reached the house, Joongi was the first out of the car while Jongin tried to stop the omega so he could ask about what was plaguing him. 

However, Baekhyun carefully dodged him and rushed up the steps after the first alpha, acting as if he was oblivious.

In the hallway, Joongi had caught up with Jackson, and Baekhyun paused briefly as he thought of the amount of people he was about to face again. Including Chanyeol and Yixing, the two that kept his mind a whirlwind of thoughts. 

Before he could continue down the hallway, though, fingers had curled around his wrist. He was being tugged on, and he stumbled as he was dragged in the other direction. 

Baekhyun whipped his head around to see who had dared grab him, and when it turned out to be Jongin the omega opened his mouth in confusion. 

He was about to ask him what was doing, when his words died on the alpha’s lips.

Jongin was kissing him, dragging him close as he pulled the omega with him inside a room, and the door closed behind them the moment Baekhyun bit the actor’s lip and wriggled free. 

He stepped away, hand up between them, and demanded, “what the fuck, Jongin?!” 

He hadn’t expected the alpha to be this rough with him, and he briefly panicked as he thought of the possibility that the actor had played him all this time just to win the omega’s trust. 

The thought only grew as Jongin turned the lock and stepped in front of the door so Baekhyun couldn’t leave, his hands held to the sides to keep him in. 

Having realized he couldn’t flee through the door, Baekhyun looked around himself to find any other ways to escape if he had to. 

It took the omega a moment to notice where they were, but then he recognized the colours of the room, and he realized where Jongin had taken him.

The Boom Boom room. 

“Calm down, Baekhyun,” the alpha spoke, his fingers coming up to his lip, and he hissed at the pain the omega had left him with, “I was just- keeping up our act.” 

Baekhyun balled his hands into fists, taking a stand that would make it easy to throw a punch if Jongin would try anything again, but the alpha only raised his hands as he watched him take such a defensive stance. 

“I swear, Sehun was right there and I needed an excuse to bring you in here,” he argued, which still didn’t make sense as to why Jongin had done such a thing. Why would they have needed to get away from Sehun? 

“I wasn’t going to let you get away without properly talking about this, Baek. I’m sorry, but this is the only way no one will bother us,” the alpha finally explained why he had wanted to get the omega alone, and as Jongin walked past him towards the bed, Baekhyun finally relaxed. 

“You couldn’t just have talked to me anywhere else? Don’t you get what the others will think now?” Baekhyun complained, hands coming up to his own hair instead as he realized the consequences of this stupid move, “they’ll think we’re fucking.” 

“So? Let them think what they want, gives them a reason to work for you a bit harder,” Jongin shrugged, not understanding the complexity of the situation Baekhyun had already been in before this entire mess had been added to it.

“Chanyeol…” he uttered, “Yixing… what will they think? They’ll think I’m easy, going from one person to the next. Jongin, you idiot, this won’t help at all!” 

He was close to tears, pacing around the room, and finally the alpha seemed to understand the gravity of it all. He got up, trying to reach for Baekhyun but being too scared to be pushed away. 

“Chanyeol saw me kiss Yixing and he was upset, and I yelled at him that I couldn’t just pick him, that I’d have to be with others too, and he kissed me again, and I’ve been going back and forth between my options all day,” Baekhyun threw out, words flowing like a waterfall, and Jongin just listened.

“Now he’ll think that I didn’t care about anything he said, that I jumped in bed with you the moment you offered, and fuck…” he dropped his head in his hands, mumbling a string of words that didn’t make sense.

Jongin crossed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around Baekhyun, who had lost the fight to struggle against his hold, “it’s okay, we’ll work it out. I’m sure everything will be fine, Chanyeol loves you after all.” 

“Yeah? Well, how often does he have to hear about me being with others to grow disgusted with me?” Baekhyun sobbed, “how long do I have to pretend not to love him back for the sake of this stupid fucking show?” 

Jongin hushed him, rocking him from side to side and brushing his hand through his hair, “we’ll come up with a plan if he ends up not wanting to be here anymore, okay? I’m sure it hasn’t come that far. Real love can’t be broken so easily.” 

Baekhyun wasn’t sure if that was true, he feared that true love was easier to break than a simple infatuation, but he was too tired to comment on it.

Jongin tugged the omega towards the bed and helped him sit down first before he joined him, “Baek?” 

He waited for the smaller to look up at him, to acknowledge him in any way, but even when Baekhyun didn’t move he sighed and went on. 

“why did you kiss Yixing then? You just said you want to stop pretending to love him back. If that’s true then why kiss Yixing and make things more complicated?” 

Baekhyun went quiet at that, finding himself at a loss for words as he thought about the question Jongin had asked him. Because it was a fair question.

Why had he kissed Yixing? Because he wanted to? Because he could? To make Chanyeol jealous? 

“Because I’m scared,” Baekhyun admitted, voice small and shaky, “what if I’m making a mistake? What if it’s the wrong decision and I end up regretting everything?” 

Jongin grabbed his hand, holding it between his own, and his smile was warm as he said, “if you really feel like that in the end, you can always choose me, remember?” 

It was reassuring to hear the alpha remind him of how he was there in case things went wrong. It should be giving him more freedom, but so far he hadn’t used it yet. 

“I think it’s stupid to go against what your heart wants, especially because that could be the thing that ends up fucking shit up. It’s better to love wholeheartedly than to bring uncertainty and have it all fall apart,” Jongin told him, sounding way smarter than he made himself look. 

“You’re right,” Baekhyun mumbled, a heavy feeling of dread settling in his stomach, “but I may have already taken it that far. If he hated seeing me with Yixing, he’s not going to like hearing about us being in here.” 

Jongin hummed, taking a moment to think about it, and then his face brightened, “how about we twist it into something positive instead?”

“‘Oh, hey, I slept with the alpha you hate most’ how could that possibly be a positive thing?” Baekhyun huffed, finding himself to be quite negative, but he felt like he had reason to. This was something he simply couldn’t justify. 

Jongin ignored all of his grumpy counter arguments and went on as if Baekhyun hadn’t even said anything. 

“You know, you can use it as an excuse to tell him that you tried being with others, but that you realised they weren’t what you wanted. That it’s made you realise he’s the one you want.”

Baekhyun remained quiet, quickly coming to the conclusion that Jongin was right. he had tried to tell Chanyeol he couldn’t promise him his heart, but he’d been so transparent in his lie. Chanyeol had to know he had only been coming up with excuses.

“But- but wouldn’t the people watching at home be upset that I’ve picked someone this early on?” the omega asked, thinking back to why he was scared to fully commit to begin with. This was a game show, he was supposed to bring entertainment. 

“Well then fuck them. They’re not in here offering up themselves for a damn show. Besides, I think they’d be rooting for you. Just make sure you’ll sneak around so the other alphas won’t know just how sold you are on Chanyeol, that’ll keep it interesting.” 

Jongin’s grin grew then, turning playful and sexy in an instant, and Baekhyun should have known that for every smart thing leaving Jongin’s mouth, two dumb comments had to make up for it, “besides, we could always plot a love triangle situation with me in it.”

Baekhyun rolled his eyes and pushed the actor away, snorting loudly, “I can’t believe so many people adore your lame ass. Unbelievable.” 

Jongin fell back on the bed, laughing as if he was glad the mood wasn’t so tense anymore. And although Baekhyun teased him a lot, he was very grateful to have him around. To have someone to confide in. 

“Seriously though,” the actor then said, “you do realise we have to put on somewhat of a show now, right? There’s no way they can air our actual conversation, and this is too big of a moment to ignore, so…” 

The wiggling of Jongin’s eyebrows made the omega huff, and he crossed his arms in front of himself as he laughed, “yeah right. As if I’m going to sleep with you after I just told you my heart is taken.”

Jongin sighed, as if Baekhyun was being the idiot instead of him, “not sleep with me. We could just make out a little, act as if we’re leading it somewhere, and then you can tell me you’ve made up your mind?” 

Baekhyun thought about it, but the more he did the less he felt like he had a choice. Jongin was right to say this couldn’t be left out of the show. If they wouldn’t use something this significant, the alphas in the house would definitely get suspicious of things. 

“Fine, but this will be the one and final time you will get to touch me like that,” Baekhyun warned, one finger raised at the alpha, who held up his hands in surrender.

“I am a professional actor, Byun Baekhyun, don’t get so big-headed,” Jongin uttered before he got up and walked towards the door. 

“What- where are you going then?” Baekhyun asked, confused as to why the alpha was getting off the bed when he had just suggested they’d put on a show.

“Well, I dragged you into here while kissing you, don’t you think it’d be weird to cut the footage to the bed all of a sudden? We have to sell it all the way from here to the bed.”

The omega sat still for a moment, wondering what the hell he was getting himself into, but then he decided to just follow Jongin and try not to think of it too much. 

He walked up to the taller and found himself in the same position they had been in when they had entered the room, Jongin’s arm around his waist and his face close to his. 

Baekhyun had to remind himself it was just for show, not because he hated Jongin, but because he wasn’t Chanyeol. No one was Chanyeol, and so the idea of acting like he wanted to sleep with Jongin was making him sick.

Kissing Yixing had been one thing, but this? Way worse. He hoped Chanyeol would forgive him for this too. “Alright, let’s get it over with then.”

Jongin sent him another smile before his face twisted into an expression of lust that felt so real Baekhyun had to catch his breath. 

The actor’s lips were on him seconds later, and Baekhyun closed his eyes as he kissed back and tried to imagine this was Chanyeol he was with. Chanyeol who was walking him back to the bed, Chanyeol who helped him lie down and spread his legs. Chanyeol who crawled between them, hips aligning.

Jongin made a show of it, that much the omega had to give him. He rolled his hips without actually touching Baekhyun, tilting his body in such a way that no one would be able to see. He also left the omega’s lips alone in favor of kissing down his neck. 

It was usually such a difficult place for him to offer, but this was better than lips on lips, and Baekhyun allowed it to last a little while longer before he pushed at Jongin’s chest, “stop. Stop, I don’t want this.”

The alpha let him go, as promised, and when he rolled off, Baekhyun jumped off the bed and left the room as fast as he could, hoping their act was believable enough to not raise any suspicions. 

Baekhyun didn’t pass anyone on his way to his room, and when he entered it, he closed the door and locked it too. 

He wasn’t going to come out the rest of the night, it was just better like that. Because if he’d go out there, he’d be able to hear all the alphas whispering about how he and Jongin had gone into the Boom Boom Room. 

Maybe Chanyeol would be there, listening to another alpha blowing up the story of them kissing. Stating they could hear moans coming from the room even though that was a lie. 

He wasn’t ready to face his best friend like that. He wasn’t ready to see the disappointment, maybe anger, in his face. He’d deal with that in the morning.

\---

“Guys! Guys, Jongin and Baekhyun are in the Boom Boom Room!” Sehun came running into the living room, eyes wide and grin bright as he brought them the news.

A handful of alphas were on the couches next to Chanyeol’s, watching TV to waste their night, but the moment the dancer arrived, everyone forgot about the show on the screen. 

“What!?” Lucas yelled, sounding horrified, his hands balling into fists on top of his knees, while Seulgi and Taeyeon began to whisper among themselves. 

Chanyeol was glued to the spot, his eyes still on the screen, but having lost his focus as his heart was being trampled on. 

First Yixing, now Jongin. 

The pain was overwhelming, and it switched between anger and sadness like hot flashes. Bright and hot one moment, ice cold the next.

The living room felt suddenly far away as he was sucked into the back of his brain, losing every bit of composure he had left as Sehun continued to blabber on in the background. Chanyeol didn’t hear any of it.

All he could think about was his omega, sharing a bed with Jongin, and to know that Baekhyun had willingly gone into that room with him, it was torturous. 

For years on end he had known that the love of his life had been in relationships, that he had slept with others that weren’t him, but that hadn’t hurt this way because they had lost touch. 

Now, though, now he was back, and Baekhyun had still kissed Yixing and was now probably doing worse with Jongin. Chanyeol was right there, yet he stood aside like a pawn out of use.

It was too much for his lovesick heart to take, and so he decided not to listen to Sehun’s wild theories any longer. He’d heard enough to know that even though he had gotten a head start in the game, he was far from the crowned winner. 

His room was the worst place to be, considering how Jongin would have to return to it at some point, but even so, he had nowhere else to go. There was no other place where he’d have enough privacy to sulk and think over everything other than his bed, and that’s where he ended up.

Giving up was the last thing he wanted now, but he was beginning to grow tired of the game. It felt like he was losing, and although he had come into the show knowing that would be a possibility, recent events had made him feel hopeful. Too hopeful. 

The battle wasn’t done with, and it was clear that Baekhyun felt like he could get away with seeking affection elsewhere and still getting it from Chanyeol as well. Which was exactly why a change in strategy was needed. 

Extracting himself from everything, making sure the omega wouldn’t be around him anymore, it would hopefully show him what he was missing. Even if it didn’t, then it would be answer enough too.

it was a risk, Chanyeol was very aware of that, but he also knew that his current strategy of trying to constantly be around Baekhyun hadn’t gotten him where he wanted to be. A kiss was nice, but he wanted the main prize. Second best simply wouldn’t do.

He felt like it was the only way to make Baekhyun see what he’d miss if he were to pick someone else. And as the night progressed and the other bed in his room remained empty, he grew more and more certain that this change of plan was what he needed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I've had quite a few people who were either upset by this chapter or feeling very torn up and if you're one of them I completely understand. I'd just like to quote how I answered an anon's comment, because I feel like it explains how I feel about it:
> 
> Personally I dont think Baek is doing anything wrong, as he isnt dating anyone and things dont even go past kissing. But if you’re cheering for Yeol ofc it is hard to see him with others. But he isnt hiding anything, he’s not stringing anyone along. He’s just been scared and in denial, and can we blame him for that? He suddenly has to make the decision to basically ‘marry’ someone within 2 weeks.   
So yeah, things arent perfect, but that’s life. In fact, I think this story is probably a bit too perfect to resemble real life in any way.   
It’s okay to feel differently though! Everyone has their own feelings and thoughts, just hope this helped explain things a little.


End file.
